James' Sacrifice - Next Generation
by xxKLxx
Summary: Sequel to James' Sacrifice - Harry and his 3 sisters embark on their Hogwarts adventure. Focus on 5th year and beyond. Harry's sister Josie feels out of step with her family and falls for someone she least expected, causing her to make a tough choice. Wandless & underage marriage, anxiety, occulmency, changed Malfoy, Voldemort's favourite, high intelligence.
1. Previously

**AN- Welcome to the sequel to James' sacrifice. I initially had this as a continuation of the original story, but it is now moving so far beyond the Lily/Sirius story line that i really felt like having it as a separate story was best **

* * *

_PREVIOUSLY..._

James' sacrifice to the dark lord saved his wife and their unborn child and his wife's intended sacrifice saved their son, Harry.

While recovering from losing the man she thought was her soul mate, her one and only, she relied on the support of James' closest friends, Sirius and Remus.

In April 1982, Lily gives birth to a daughter, named Josie Lily Potter.

Lily navigates her way through life as a single mother, in a new house on the outskirts of London.

Things between Lily and Sirius become complicated, following an innocent embrace that they both felt immense comfort in.

"You and James had something that I don't think I will ever understand. You made promises to each other and vowed things to each other, but so did James and I" she began, not taking her eyes off the headstone. "We vowed to love each other for eternity and I doubt that I will stop loving James. He was the most incredibly perfect person and he loved Harry and I with every ounce of his being. But we also made promises, like the ones you made with him, about what might happen if one of us was to die" she said.

She heard a sharp intake of breath from Sirius before she went on.

"We both loved each other so so deeply, but we both knew that if one of us were to die, and the other stop living, _that_ would be the real tragedy. Sirius… up until you and I shared all of our thoughts and fears that night on Halloween, I hadn't truly been living. I felt so alone in the world, so lost, like I was simply existing, rather than living. I had lost my sense of who I was and what I wanted from this world, but in those brief few moments, when I put my arms around you and you held me in yours, it's like something ignited within me, like, somehow James was reminding me of my promise to him. My promise not to wallow in sadness and grief, but to embrace opportunities and hold onto things that are good in this world. Sirius, you reminded me what it felt like for someone, for a man, to hold me in that way, to make me _feel_ something that I hadn't felt in a very long time. It was the good. _You _are the good in the world Sirius. And I think James knew that when he asked you to look after us. I think he knew that there would come a point where we would come together in a way that was more than before and I truly believe that he would be ok with that" she finished, suddenly realising for herself that perhaps _she_ felt something for him too that was beyond the confines of friendship.

Lily and Sirius go on a date, which begins a whirlwind romance.

Lily teams up with Snape to come up with a cure for Werewolves. After months of trials, Remus volunteers and the cure is successful.

Lily and Sirus get engaged after a day at a Diagon Ally festival, where the family was interviewed by the daily prophet.

Lily has a meeting with Snape, relating to the cure, who reveals his involvement with James' death and Lily finally understands his feelings for her. Snape explains that he is a double agent and tells Lily that when Voldemort returns, he will return to 'playing the game'.

Lily and Sirius marry in December 1983 and welcome twins, Lyra and Carina, into their family in November 1984.

Sirius is a well known Auror and Lily is working as a potions theorist in the ministry.


	2. August 1991

CHAPTER 11

**August 1991**

Lily walked down the street towards Gringots bank with her eldest child in tow. Harry Potter had received his Hogwarts letter just weeks ago and today was the day they would be purchasing the items on his list.

The two of them, who had rarely been seen in the wizarding world, caught the eyes of almost everyone around them. When they entered the bank, the head Goblin called them forward, eyeing them carefully.

"Mrs Black are you here to make a withdrawal?" he asked.

"I am" she said, handing over her wand for identification purposes.

"This all seems to be in order. Do you have your key?" he asked her.

She took a brass key out of her purse and handed it to him. He looked at it before grunting his approval.

"Follow me" he said.

Lily and Harry followed the goblin into the back of the bank, which led to the vaults. For Lily, who had experience in the muggle and the wizarding world, it was something that she had gotten used to, seeing a bank which was designed around a cave of mine carts, travelling from vault to vault. In the muggle world, your money was managed all via computer – something the wizarding world knew nothing about.

For Harry, this world was incredible. He hadn't been down into the vault before. In fact, he could count his outings into the wizarding world on two hands. Something that he rebelled against, as soon as he understood what it meant to be a wizard.

One they arrived at the vault, Lily withdrew some heavy gold coins and placed them in her bag. It didn't take long to get back to the surface, where they signed some paperwork for the withdrawal and made their way to the exit.

When they were out on the street, Lily was approached by half-giant and close friend Hagrid.

"Hello Harry, gee yeh've grown a fair bit since I seen ya last. Might have been abou' a year or so" he said.

Harry had no idea how to respond to his statement, instead looked to his mum and simply nodded.

"We're just getting Harry's Hogwarts things, Hagrid" she said.

"Oh, blimey, Harry's comin to school this year. Well I'll be sure to keep an eye on ya hey Harry" he said.

"Thank you" Harry said.

He wasn't sure how to behave in these types of situations. He knew Hagrid from times he had come to his house but other than that, the only times Harry spoke to magic folk, was when they stopped his mum to talk about her role as the chosen mother. Harry didn't mind being somewhat famous. It didn't make him arrogant, but it did make him feel like he was someone important. As the oldest of four and the only boy, he often felt a little left out. Sirius had always tried hard to do things with him, but somehow, Harry always felt like something was missing.

Lily and Harry first stopped by the wand shop, where Mr Olivander stood behind a dusty bench.

"Ah, mister Potter" he said, as soon as Harry entered in front of his mother.

"How do you know me?" he asked.

"I know every single child that enters through these doors, my boy" he said. "Ah, Lily Evans, or should I say, Lily Black. How are you my dear? Still using your first wand?" he asked.

"I am wonderful, Mr Olivander. Still have the very first wand that I bought right here" she said, holding it out for him to look at.

"Yes, I remember, Willow, 10 and a quarter inches, quite swishy. Great for charm work, but I hear you're quite the potions expert now" he said.

"Yes, I have been known to come up with a thing or two" she said.

"Marvellous, marvellous" he said, looking to the scar on Harry's forehead. "Now, if you will Mister Potter, try this" he said, handing a short light-wood coloured wand to harry.

Harry held it, not feeling anything in particular towards this piece of wood in his hand.

"It doesn't feel right" Harry said.

"Of course it doesn't… Let me see, your father's wand… Your father's wand was excellent, mahogany, eleven inches. A little more powerful and excellent for transfiguration…. Try this" he said, handing over a different wand.

Harry held it in his hand, feeling a slight buzz. He waved it around a little, causing a shelf to come crashing down beside him.

"Nope, definitely not. Lets see" he said, handing over yet another wand. Again, this wand didn't suit. When the pile of wands that didn't suit became high on the bench, Ollivander went around to the back of the shelves. He climbed a ladder and at the very top of the stack of shelves, retrieved a black box.

"Let's see", said the old man, who held out the box for Harry to try this wand.

When he held it in his hand, he immediately felt warmth, run up the entire length on his arm. It spread through his body, from his head to his toes and back again. Harry immediately knew this was the one. He waved it briefly and was rewarded with sparks of silver and gold.

"This is it. This is definitely it" he said.

"Eleven inches made of Holly with a phoenix feather core… Curious" said Olivander.

"What is curious?" asked Lily.

"That Harry should be destined for this wand. The bird which gave that feather also gave another feather. Only one. That feather resides in the wand of the person who gave you _that_ scar" he said, pointing to Harry's forehead. "And that scar" he said, pointing to the place on Lily's shoulder where he scar was visible.

"You mean, my wand has the same insides as Voldemort's?" he asked.

"Yes, my dear. Brothers" he said. "I expect to see some interesting things from you my dear boy" he said, bidding them farewell as Harry and his mother left the store.

"What was all f that about? Why is _my_ wand the same as _his_ wand?" Harry asked.

"I don't know sweetheart, but I will find out" she said.

The pair shopped for books and potions supplies, which Harry insisted on getting, despite Lily having an enormous supply at home. They bought ordinary clothes as well as school robes.

Whilst I the robe shop, Harry met a boy who was also being measured up for Hogwarts robes.

"Hi there" said the blonde-haired boy.

"Hello" Harry said politely.

"Are you starting at Hogwarts this year too?" the boy asked.

"Yes" Harry said, looking at him via the mirror in front of him. He looked at his own reflection and noted the differences in their appearances. While Harry's hair was black and stuck up in all directions at the back, completely untameable, this boy's hair was platinum blonde and slicked back against his head, without a hair out of place. And while Harry's face was rounded, with glasses to match and bright green eyes, this boy's face was pale and pointed and his eyes were grey. They were equal in height but that is the only similarity between the two. One striking difference was the lightning bolt scar that occupied space on Harry's forehead. It was currently hidden behind his messy hair.

Harry couldn't help but feel this was some kind of sign, that perhaps the two were completely different in personality too. Harry reserved his judgement, however, as his mother had always taught him never to judge people by first impressions.

"My father is buying me a broom just next door and mother is looking at wands. I told her not to bother, but she wanted to narrow down a few. A bit dim that woman" he said.

This comment threw Harry, as he had always respected his mother and thought that anyone who spoke badly of their mother wasn't worth knowing. Harry wanted nthing more to do with this boy, however, he still had to be measured up for his robes, so he tolerated his continued drivel.

"I'm going to make my parents buy me a racing broom and then sneak it in to Hogwarts somehow. Do you have a broom?" he asked.

"Yes, I've got a couple" Harry said. In fact, he had three which he had handed down to his younger sisters as he got older and now felt he was due for another. He had become quite good at riding brooms, with all the open space in his yard at home. Harry had been practising playing quidditch in the garden with friends that he made through his mother and Sirius' work friends.

Over the last few years, his mum had sort of made their house a place for children Harry's age to get together and form friendships that would continue into school. Harry was close friends with a red-haired boy named Ron Weasley, as well as Neville Longbottom, who he had been friends with since he was small. Other children who occasionally came to visit included Ernie Macmillan, Susan Bones, Michael Corner and a pair of twins, Padma and Parvati Patil and while Harry got along equally with all of them, he, Ron and Neville had formed the closest bonds.

"Are you paying attention?" asked the boy, bringing Harry out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked.

"Where were you just then?" he asked.

"Was thinking about quidditch" Harry asked.

"So you play?"

"Just a bit, you know, in my back garden" Harry said.

"Well, I play, and I'm quite good. Father says that it's a crime if I don't get picked to play. You know what house you'll be in yet?" he asked.

"No one does, do they? Until the sorting" Harry pointed out.

"Well, I know that, but sometimes you just know, don't you?" he said.

"I suppose" Harry said.

"I'll be in Slytherin" the boy said, puffing out his chest. "Imagine being sorted into Hufflepuff. I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" he sniggered.

"I think all of the houses have their own merit" he said.

"What's your name anyway? My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" the boy said.

Harry looked to him for a few moments, before thinking of how to approach this. He should have known as soon as he saw him, as soon as he got a hint of his authoritarian attitude who he was. Afterall, they were cousins. Sirius's cousin's son, which made him Harry's cousin.

"Harry Potter" he said, holding his head high and proud. "I believe we're related by marriage" Harry said.

"Are we really?" Draco asked.

"Yes, well, my step father is your mother's cousin" Harry said, shrugging.

"So we're cousins then?" Draco said.

"Well, yes, by marriage. But then half the wizarding world are related somehow, so I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?" Harry said.

The woman who was measuring Harry, sniggered a little, making Harry smile. Harry had been told all about the Malfoys and how they were obsessed with being pure bloods. He wanted nothing to do with them.

"You're done young man" said the witch measuring Harry, who stepped down off the raised platform.

"I guess I'll see you on the train then?" Draco said.

"Perhaps" said Harry as he left the room and headed out to the waiting room.

"All measured up then?" asked Lily who had been waiting.

"Yep" Harry said.

"You want the plain black robes? Not any particular house?" asked the woman.

"No, Harry hasn't been sorted yet, so just plain black" Lily said.

"You might as well make them maroon, because I'll definitely be in Gryffindor" he said, knowing that even though he had just told Draco that he had no idea, it was pretty clear that he was a Gryffindor.

"Now now young man, there have been many young witches and wizards who have come here thinking they know where they will be sorted into and found themselves somewhere completely different. Take your godfather, for example. Sirius Black, I believe? He was certain he'd be in Slytherin. His whole family had been, for generations. He ended up in Gryffindor just like your parents. Of course there are many more examples which I have measured and dressed personally…" she said.

Harry felt like this woman could talk forever, so he looked up at his mother, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. Lily paid for the robes and left with yet another package.

After visiting another few stores to collect various items, Lily and Harry, both exhausted made their way home. Lily was going to have Sirius pick them up, but at the last moment, changed her mind.

"Harry, I know you don't like it, but we have so many things, I think I'll just apparate us home" she said.

If Harry were a few years younger, he'd have had a tantrum at this. He hated apparating.

"I'd rather walk" Harry said under his breath as he followed his mother to the apparation point.

"I don't like it much either, but it's the most effective way to travel" she said. "You'll come to realise that once you get your license" she added.

"No way, I'll never do it if I don't have to. I'm going to get a muggle car and drive everywhere" he said.

"Even to the other side of the country?" she asked.

"It will take you forever. Sometimes you need to get to places in a hurry. You're a wizard Harry. Sometimes you have to embrace it" she said.

Harry just rolled his eyes. He had heard this lecture a thousand times. He felt as though his mother was picking and choosing when to be a witch, because she hated being in the wizarding community, yet she worked in the ministry and did everything that witches do. He had pointed this out to her before and it had only landed him a grounding.

When they reached a safe place to apparate, Harry looked around before taking his mothers hand and feeling that familiar pull at his navel.

**x—x**

Standing on platform 9 and 3/4, Lily hugged her only son tight.

"I'll miss you" she said through tears.

"I'll miss you too mum" he said.

"Promise you'll write? Every day?" she asked.

"Maybe every second day" he said with a smile.

"Will you write to me, Harry?" asked his little sister Josie, who would be joining hm in two years' time.

"I definitely won't make any promises" he said.

"What about me?" asked Lyra.

"And me?" added Carina.

"If I get a chance" he said, as his young sisters flung themselves at him.

"Girls, please, you've hugged Harry a lot already" Lily said to the twins.

"But mummy, we'll miss Harry" Lyra said.

"We'll all miss Harry" said Lily, hugging her son one last time as the whistle for the train blew.

Harry waved as he moved towards the train doors, hoping he would find his friends. The doors were closed, and the train roared to life as smoke filled the station. Harry caught a glimpse of his mum's tears and took out his wand, chancing a spell he had been taught by Sirius. Waving his wand in a heart shape, he blew a slow breath down the length of his wand and a golden heart wafted out of the end of it and made its way to his mother. He hoped it would ease her fears.

It had been hell at home the last week, as his mother had fussed over him and cried every time she saw him. He knew that it would be rough but having him mum cry at him everyday over breakfast was worse than he had imagined.

He made his way through the train, saying hello to people he knew. He found the carriage where Neville and Ron were seated and let himself in.

"Bit late there Harry?" asked Neville.

"No, we got to the platform ages ago, I had to stop my mum and sisters from crying" he said.

"I'm glad I only have one sister and the rest brothers" said Ron.

"My sister was a nightmare. She's only got a year to go before she comes, and anyone would think it's the end of the world. Feels hard done by, she does" said Neville.

"What about Des?" Harry asked.

"Completely relaxed about the whole thing" Neville said.

As it had turned out, Neville's parents had had twins also. A boy named Desmond, or Des as he liked to be called, and a girl named Hazel. They were a little over a year younger than Harry and Neville, but always behaved as though they were the same age. People often asked if the three of them were triplets, due to the fact that they looked so similar.

Neville was a short boy with dirty blonde hair and a round face. He was the same build as Harry, however in his younger years, he had been rather chubby. His mother was terrified of having a son who would be picked on so ensured he ate well and exercised appropriately, resulting in him slimming down.

"Ginny's still pining for you Harry, but other than that she was happy to see me go. Got the house to herself now" Ron said, talking about his sister who was also a year younger than he was.

"Honestly, she knows me now. We've hung out at my house. I'm not the big celebrity she thinks I am" Harry said.

"I don't think that matters to her. Ginny is rather strange" Ron said.

The three boys laughed at this and continued chatting throughout their journey.


	3. Arrival

Their compartment was visited by other students as the train rattled through the countryside. They met many other first years, some who were friends with people they knew and some who hadn't heard of Hogwarts or the wizarding world until they got their letter.

Harry tried to imagine not knowing who or what he was, he tried to imagine a life without magic, but he simply couldn't. Even though his mother had tried to keep him out of the magical world as much as possible, Harry absolutely loved magic. He loved everything about the magical world.

However, he couldn't forget the fact that his mother was a muggle born. She grew up knowing she was different but never understanding it completely. She had told Harry about growing up this way when he was younger, about how things kept happening that she couldn't explain. She could never understand it and her sister, Harry's aunt Petunia, who he had only met once or twice, would call her a freak. Harry felt for the young girl that his mother had been. It must have been incredibly hard for someone to grow up not knowing who they were and the kinds of things they would eventually be capable of doing.

One of these people was a muggle born girl who introduced herself to Harry and his friends on the train, Hermione. She seemed a little much. Despite her setbacks, she had read and re read all of the books in the syllabus, so she was able to rattle off information that she had memorised.

As son as she left the compartment, the boys began to talk about her.

"Who does she think she is?" Ron said.

"She seems ok to me" Harry said.

"Bit of a know it all, if you ask me" Ron said.

"I suppose she's trying to make up for the fact that she only just found out a month ago" Neville said.

"Well, she tod me my spell wasn't good. What is that all about?" Ron asked.

"Ron, your spell _wasn't_ good. It didn't work" Harry said.

"That's not the point" Ron said.

Harry was about to say something back in defence of this girl who had grown up the same way his mother had, however, he was distracted by the lunch trolley.

Harry and Neville both jumped up and bought a handful of snacks each, but Ron stayed where he was, digging a packed lunch out of his bag.

Harry bought a little extra, knowing that Ron's family didn't have a lot of money. While his family was large had everything they needed, they often went without things they _wanted_ due to their limited income. Harry wasn't spoilt, but he also didn't know what it was like to go without. His family had more money than they could ever spend, and Harry always had new things.

The boys sat in the compartment eating their snacks and talking about their expectations for the castle late into the afternoon.

"I just can't wait to get my first game of quidditch in" said Ron.

"Me too, Fred and George are on the team, aren't they?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, they're the best beaters Hogwarts has seen yet. And I'm not just saying that because they're my brothers, they're actually…." Ron was cut of mid-sentence as the door to their compartment slid open and three boys stepped inside.

Harry recognised the middle one immediately. It was Malfoy, the boy he'd met in the robe store. The other two boys stood on either side of him, as though they were his body guards. They were certainly large enough to be.

"I've been looking for you" Malfoy said, directly to Harry.

"I've been in here the whole time" Harry said, shrugging.

"I thought you'd sit with us down the front of the train? I've got the best compartment" he said, turning his nose up at the one Harry was currently sitting in.

"Its ok, I'm sitting here with my friends" Harry said.

Malfoy looked at Ron and Neville with his face slightly screwed up.

"This is Draco Malfoy" Harry said to his friends. "We met at the Robe shop and happen to be cousins by marriage" Harry said.

At this, Ron sniggered, attempting to hid it in a cough.

"Find it funny, do you? Don't think I need to ask your name. Red hair, freckles and hand me down rags for clothes. You're definitely a Weasley" Malfoy said, looking Ron up and down. "My father told me that your family has far more children than it can afford" he said. "Its not too late to make friends with the right people, Harry…" he said, looking from Ron to Neville and holding his hand out to Harry. "I can help you there" Harry said.

Harry looked Malfoy up and down and stared at his outstretched hand for far longer than was comfortable for anyone. He thought it was incredibly disrespectful for him to come in here and insult his friends before requesting his friendship.

"I'm not sure I need help determining who to be friends with, but thanks" Harry said, turning back to the game of exploding snap they were playing.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter. Unless you're politer, you'll end up the same way your father did. He didn't know what was good for him either. If you hang out with these kinds of riff raff, it's bound to rub off on you" Malfoy said.

Harry and Ron immediately stood up, Harry stepping in front of Ron and drawing his wand.

"You want to say that again, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Oh, you want to duel?" Malfoy asked.

"Unless you get out of our compartment right now" Harry said. "You _never_ insult my father _or _my friends in front of me" he said.

"I'm not going anywhere. They've still got food" said one of the bigger boys standing beside Malfoy, as he reached down towards a chocolate frog that was sitting on the seat near the door.

Before he even got close, Ron's rat woke with a start and chomped down on his finger, causing the boy to scream. The boy swung the rat around and around howling in pain until the rat let go and was flung at the window.

Malfoy and his two cronies fled at once and Harry, Ron and Neville burst into fits of laughter.

When they had clamed down, Harry explained how he had met Malfoy in Diagon Alley and about their family ties just as Hermione arrived back at their compartment.

"What was all that commotion about?" she asked.

"Just getting to know the local cavemen" Harry said.

"You haven't been fighting, have you?" she asked, looking to their wands which were still in their hands. "You'll have detentions before even getting off the train!" she said.

"They were just being prats, Hermione. No big deal" Harry said, trying to diffuse the tension that seemed to build every time she came near.

Well, you should probably change into your robes soon…" she said, looking out the window into the darkening sky. "I expect we'll be arriving soon" she said and turned to leave. Before she was out of view completely, she poked her head back around the corner and looked to Ron.

"You have a little dirt on your nose, did you know?" she asked, stroking her own nose in the spot where Ron's was dirty.

Ron simply glared at her as she left.

"Seriously can't stand her. I bet she'll be in Ravenclaw with that know it all attitude, so we won't have to put up with her" he said.

"We don't know where we'll be sorted yet, so there's no point getting our hopes up for anything" Neville, who had been rather quiet, said.

"My parents were both in Gryffindor and my brothers, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George were all sorted into Gryffindor. I think its safe to say I'll be there too. Plus, Harry's parents and his step father were all Gryffindors too. Same as your parents. We're bound to end up together" Ron said confidently.

"We'll have to wait and see, I suppose" Harry said, hoping that he was right.

The boys changed as the train began to slow. Harry looked out the window and saw that the sky was now various shades of deep blue and purple. A voice echoed through the train that said, "The train will arrive in five minutes. Leave your bags where they are and prepare to exit the train".

Harry Ron and Neville stuffed the remaining food into their pockets and tucked the games they were playing, away into their trunks.

They sat anxiously as the train slowed more and more until it eventually came to a compete stop.

The boys disembarked from the train and Harry smiled at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Hagrid?" Harry said, seeing the friendly face of the half-giant he had known his whole life.

"Ah, Harry, good to see yer. Gather round now… FIRST YEARS, OVER HERE" he bellowed.

Harry and the rest of the first years gathered around and many f them looked up at Hagrid as though he were quite scary.

Harry looked to Hermione who seemed like she was completely in over her head. He leant between two people and said to her,

"Don't worry, he's not as scary as he looks. He's been friends with my mum forever".

Hermione simply nodded, took a deep breath and continued taking in the scenery around her.

Hagrid led them down to the shore of a great lake, where Harry saw some boats sitting. They were instructed to all hop into a boat and before long, they were on their way through the dark waters towards their destination.

There were collective 'oohs' and 'ahhs' when the boat rounded a corner and the castle came into view. It was magnificent. Harry thought it was the most amazing place he had ever seen. Despite being told about its majesty by his parents, Harry could never have predicted that it would be this amazing.

The boats entered a cave below the castle and the students climbed out into what Harry could only describe as an underground harbour. The students made their way behind Hagrid, up a passageway in the rocks, following the light from Hagrid's lamp and at last came out on to smooth damp grass in the shadows of the castle.

They walked up some enormous stone steps and into an entrance way where Hagrid knocked three times on a huge oak door.

"This is where I leave yas" Hagrid said in a low voice to Harry as the door swung open.

Standing in front of them, was a woman who Harry had met a couple of times before but couldn't remember her name. She was a tall, black-haired witch who wore green robes and had a very stern face. Harry remembered thinking in the past that she was no someone to be messed with, and now, here, in school, that was still definitely the case.

"Thank you, Hagrid, I will take them from here" she said, pulling the door wide open so Harry could see inside the entrance hall.

It was so magnificent, it was perhaps bigger than a regular sized house. The walls were made of stone and were lit with flaming torches. The ceiling was too high to see and a spectacular marble staircase appeared to lead to upper levels of the castle.

"I am professor McGonagall. Welcome to Hogwarts!" she said, looking around at the students. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you can eat, you must be sorted into your house. The four houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. While you are here, your house will be you home. You will eat, sleep and learn with the members of your house and your free time will be spent in your house common room. Each house has a noble history and each house has produced some outstanding witches and wizards throughout history. While your accomplishments will earn you house points, rule breaking will lose you points for you house. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup. The sorting ceremony will begin in a few moments, so I suggest everyone ensure they're smartened up" she said.

Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair, while Neville fixed his cloak and Ron, as instructed by Hermione, much to his chagrin, attempted to wipe a smudge off his nose.

While some students around him nervously spoke about what the sorting ceremony would entail and if they would be required to perform some kind of magic to determine their eligibility for a particular house, Harry already knew what the sorting ceremony consisted of.

There were gasps of shock as they were led into the hall in single file.

Harry could hear Hermione listing facts she had read in a book about Hogwarts as he was taking in the surroundings. It was lit by thousands of candles that floated in mid air above four long tables where the older students were already seated. The table were set with golden plates and goblets and as Harry approached the front of the hall, he noticed another long table at the front, which seated what appeared to be all the professors. He looked up and noticed that the ceiling was in fact bewitched to mimic the sky outside, as Hermione had pointed out when she walked in.

Harry looked to the row of teachers in front of him and gave a nod to professor Dumbledore who he had met a few times before. He looked along the row and saw another person he knew, professor Snape, who used to work with his mother. He gave a polite smile, which was not returned. Harry got the feeling that this person didn't like him in the slightest.

Harry looked away as Professor McGonagall placed a three-legged stool in front of them and ut, what Harry knew to be the sorting hat on top of that.

There were murmurs among the crowd of first years, but Harry paid attention when, what looked like a rip in the har, began to move. The hat sang a song, telling all about itself and the houses and as soon as it was quiet, the students were sorted, alphabetically.

The first to be called, Hannah Abbott, was sorted into Hufflepuff, along with Susan Bones. The hat sorted child after child before Professor McGonagall called Hermione forward.

"GRYFFINDOR" shouted the hat, which received a groan from Ron.

"I was certain she'd end up in Ravenclaw" he whispered.

"Maybe you need to give her a chance?" muttered Harry.

Ron just shrugged and continued watching as Neville was called forward.

The hat took its time with Neville and Harry wondered why. Most of the others were almost immediate.

When the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR" Harry and Ron cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors.

When Malfoy was called, his sorting was instantaneous. He was sorted into Slytherin along with his two friends who Harry now knew were named Crabbe and Goyle.

As the crowd began to thin, Harry and Ron moved closer to each other. After Sally-Ann Perks was sorted, Harry's name was called.

The hall was silent as he approached the three-legged stool. Harry looked out and saw people muttering to their friends and across tables. He knew that this was because he was The-Boy-Who-Lived, as he had experienced this his whole life. Any time his or his mothers name was said out loud in the wizarding world, it was met with quiet whispering.

The hat was placed upon Harry's head and he immediately heard it talking to him.

"Hmm, difficult, very difficult. I see plenty of courage and the beginnings of a great mind. There is a lot of talent and plenty of courage. Yes, courage, that's for sure. There is a thirst to prove yourself and oh… that is interesting…" it said.

"What's interesting?" Harry whispered in response.

"Never you mind. Now where to place you?" it said.

"Not Slytherin, please, not Slytherin" Harry begged. He would no cope if he were sorted with Malfoy.

"You sure? I can see great potential for you in Slytherin. Its all here in your head you know…. No? Well, better be… GRYFFINDOR" the hat said at last.

Harry threw off that hat and joined Neville at the Gryffindor table where there were two identical red-haired boys, a few years older than Harry shouting, "We got Potter, we got Potter".

Harry wasn't too sur what to make of this, so he turned to watch the rest of the sorting.

When Ron's turn came, he was pale as the hat was placed upon his head. Harry crossed his fingers for Ron in the seconds before the hat made its decision. It wasn't long before it shouted "GRYFFINDOR" and the table erupted in cheers once more.

Once the final student, Blaze Zabini, was made a Slytherin and the headmaster had given a short speech, the table in front of them filled with food.

"Its almost as if by magic" Ron said as he grabbed a chicken drumstick.

"Funny that" said Neville.

The rest of the night went well as Harry introduced himself to those around him and quickly made friends.

As the students finished eating and the plates cleared themselves, the headmaster announced that it was time to go to the common rooms. Harry was led by one of Ron's older brothers, Percy who was also a prefect, towards the changing staircases and up through hallways and staircases. Harry's legs felt heavy and his mind foggy. He was so tired but he new it was important to remember the way to the common room. Just when Harry thought he couldn't go on, the group came to a stop outside a portrait of a large lady.

Percy gave a password and the portrait of the lady swung forward to let them in. The group scrambled through the round hole that the portrait had revealed and found themselves n a cosy round room full of squashy armchairs. The boys were led up one staircase, while the girls were instructed to go to another. At the top of a spiral staircase, the first years found their room, where their belongings had been delivered to already. Harry found his bed, a four poster with deep red velvet curtains hanging all around. He was much too tired to talk or do much of anything, so he hastily put on his pyjamas and fell into bed.


	4. Letters

Dear Josie,  
Hogwarts is great. So much better than dad ever said. Sorry it's taken a few weeks to write to you, its just been such a crazy time, settling in and everything. The people here are pretty good. Some real loonies but mostly ok. Ron and Nev say hi. We all got into Gryffindor, but I'm sure you already knew that. Its like a holiday, here, except we do school work. Tell the twins I said hi.  
Love Harry.

* * *

Dear Harry,  
It's about time, I have been wondering if you had forgotten about me. I'm going bonkers here, I feel like I'm all by myself. Its always been me and you and now I'm the third wheel in the twins' dumb games. Mum has been talking to Dumbledore to see if I can begin Hogwarts early on account of my schooling prowess. Yes, that is a word. Its not a no, so I'll keep you updated on how that goes. Otherwise I may have to do a year of high school here before coming there. Not something on my list of to dos. I know I'll be a year younger than everyone else, but mum doesn't seem to think it will matter all that much, given my intelligence. Anyhow, enough about me. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Probably getting up to all kinds of mischief. Stay out of trouble, at least till I get there.  
Love, Josie.

* * *

Dear Josie,  
Once again, sorry its been so long. Halloween was a blast. Someone let a troll into the castle and the whole school started screaming. It was amazing. One of the girls in my year got cornered by it but was able to get away. I can't believe its almost Christmas. I hope to come home on the train to spend the holidays with you lot. Don't worry too much about next year. They'll be crazy not to let you in, after all, you're not that much younger than the cut off and technically a genius, so they can't say no. Don't let the twins suck you in to their games, you know they do magic behind mums back. You're smarter than that.  
Harry

* * *

Dear Harry,  
Why did you have to go back so soon? I feel like you were only here for a day before you left again. I suppose I never really appreciated having you around till you were gone. Valentines day is approaching, do you have anyone in mind? Don't tell me you haven't thought of it. We don't keep secrets, that's our thing. School has been so boring for me. The muggle children have no idea how much they don't actually know about the world. They're all like sheep who follow each other around. I can't wait to find out if I am coming to Hogwarts next year. Mum better find out soon or she may have to enrol me in high school. Couldn't think of anything worse.  
Josie

* * *

Dear Josie,  
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  
Again, sorry its been forever since I have written. The school work is beginning to pile up. I'm spending most of my afternoons writing foot long papers on the importance of toadstools in potions and how Geoffrey the Great overthrew seven kingdoms at once. I hope you managed to have a good time for your birthday. I'm sad that I couldn't be there. Mum says Dumbledore is closer to an answer about you attending Hogwarts in the new school year, which is great. Hopefully it's a yes. I miss having my little smarter sister around.  
Harry.

* * *

Dear Harry,  
IT'S A YES! I'm coming to Hogwarts! I can't believe it. Truly. I can't wait.  
Josie

* * *

Josie,  
That's great, you'll love it here. You'll absolutely fit right in with the crowd. Ginny, Des and Hazel are going to be starting as well so you'll know some people.  
Harry.

* * *

Harry,  
You're coming home soon. I can't believe its been almost a whole year since you went to Hogwarts. You really need to come and put the twins back in their place. They're running the house now. Mum and dad don't really care that much. They're always off on some mission that they can never talk about. Moony has been watching us loads, but every now and then, he goes too. It's got me worried. I think they're up to something that might get them in trouble. Will have to talk to you more about it in a couple of weeks when you get home. Good luck on your exams.  
Josie.


	5. Fifth year

SEPTEMBER 1ST 1995

"Mum, I'll be fine, I promise" a 15 year old Harry said, as Lily fussed over him.

"You say that Harry, but given the track record, you are likely not to be fine" his mother said.

"Mum, you know how we've looked after each other these last few years. Trust us to continue to do the same" came the voice of the incredibly intelligent, 13 year old Josie.

It was true, the last four years had been terrible. Hogwarts and Harry in particular had experienced some incredibly troubling events and each year, as it got worse, Lily had contemplated keeping them all home and training them herself.

"Let me see, shall we. First year, Harry, you took on a troll and then there was the whole philosopher stone incident, then second year, you discovered you're a parselmouth and battled a basilisk. Poor Ginny Weasely almost died because of that stupid diary. Third year, Ron's pet rat turned out to be the traitor who got your father killed and then almost killed Josie and Hazel in the process..." she ranted with a shudder. "I will never forget hearing that you identified Pettigrew in the halls with your dad's old map and then had the nerve to go after him, Josie Potter".

"He was a traitor and deserved to die" Josie said.

"Well, that wasn't for you to decide" Lily said, wishing that her daughter wasn't so black and white.

"Well, if either of us caught him he would have been dead" Harry said under his breath.

Lily continued, not having heard Harry's last remark as she made the children snacks for the train.

"Then last year, that stupid tournament. Bloody Pettigrew and those despicable death eaters" she went on, out of breath.

Harry remembered the tournament he was forced to participate in only months ago. When he initially heard about it, he thought it would have been exciting to watch, finally be out of the action for once. He had grown tired of being someone special, he just wanted to sit in the background and observe. But that hadn't been the case. The rules were simple and if your name came out, regardless of who had placed it in there or how or why, you had to participate. Of course the school had made some allowances for him. He was allowed the assistance of his friends, but he still battled a dragon, almost drowned in the black lake and then worst of all, he was attacked in the middle of the maze by a group of death eaters and had three vials of his blood removed from his body.

"Its in the past now mum. I just want to move on with life and go to school like the rest of the wizarding world" Harry said.

"You're different Harry. You both are. The three of us survived something no one should, or ever has. We have a target on us forever and until that corpse of a wizard is gone for good, you will always need to look over your shoulder. Do you hear me?" Lily said, having stopped the sandwich preparation.

"I hear you" Harry said.

"Yeah, I understand" Josie said when Lily stared directly at her.

"Now, where are your sisters?" Lily asked.

"I think they're with dad somewhere out the backyard" Josie said.

Lily turned and looked through the kitchen window and true to form, the twins were helping Sirius coax some lost fairies back into the houses the twins had made for them.

"Siri!" Lily called out the window. He looked up immediately and Lily smiled, noticing a smear of dirt on his forehead. "We've got to leave shortly" she called. He simply nodded and the twins came running inside.

Lyra and Carina entered the house, muddy boots discarded at the door.

They were almost identical, except for their hair. Lyra had long curly red hair, while Carina's hair was straight and black as night, like Josie's. Their personalities were almost identical, except Lyra was more introverted, whereas Carina was the first to open conversation in any social setting. Lily knew that together, they would be fine during their first year.

An hour later, the group of six were standing on the steam filled platform 9 and ¾, ready to leave.

"Now please, please look after each other. I'll know, either way. I'll know" Lily said.

"I have spies everywhere" Sirius said as he hugged his children, Harry first, then Josie and the twins last.

"Mum, the girls will be fine. They have each other. Me and Harry have an unbreakable bond and together, our IQ is equivalent to Dumbledore's" Josie said.

"Well, not quite" Lily said.

"Have you met me? I've given Snape a run for his money" she said.

"Well I know, Severus has owled me many times to tell me how you're just like your father" Lily said.

"Quite an accomplishment, considering I never met him" Josie said with a shrug.

"He was the most incredible man" Sirius butted in, hugging Josie again. "He'd be so incredibly proud of you both and his head wouldn't have fit through the barrier to the platform, on account of how amazing you both are" he said.

"I just... I wouldn't know. You're my dad. The only dad I've ever known" Josie said sadly.

"And I'm proud to be" he said, letting her go and smoothing down her long black hair. He was kneeling down and looking into her eyes, James' eyes.

"Ok, enough of the sentimental, lets get on the train before we cant get a seat" Harry said.

"Bye mum, bye dad" the twins said in unison, hugging their parents again.

Harry and Josie hugged them both once more and left for the compartment they usually occupy. Now that the twins were attending Hogwarts, their group would have to spread out between two compartments.

Harry opened the door to the first one and told the twins to wait there for them before entering the next one, which was occupied by Neville, his siblings Des and Hazel, Ron, his sister Ginny who was in Josie's year and Hermione, who had become good friends with Hazel and Ginny. Josie was friends with everyone, but had an ongoing rivalry with Hermione, as they were both highly intelligent and skilled witches.

There was another girl who Harry and Josie didn't immediately recognise.

"Hello" he said to the timid looking girl. The girl was impeccably dressed, with big brown eyes and brown hair which was pulled back into a tight pony tail.

"This is my sister, Cleo. She's first year" Hermione said.

Harry looked at her and nodded, now realising that she looked a lot like Hermione.

"Where are the twins, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Next compartment" he said, indicating behind him.

"Cle, how about I take you to meet the twins?" Hermione asked, pulling Cleo out of the compartment with her.

"Is it bad that I had no idea Hermione had a younger sister?" Josie asked to nobody in particular.

"Yes, Josie, it is" Ginny piped up with a giggle.

Josie shrugged and took her spot beside the sliding compartment door.

As the whistle blew and the children fought to get a spot at the window to wave, Josie took out her notebook and began to write. It had become a habit of hers throughout her Hogwarts years and no one knew what she ever wrote about.

Harry sat down after managing to wave to his parents and pulled out his copy of 'Fifth Year Transfiguration for the Modern Day Witch or Wizard'. He lazily flicked through it while everyone became settled and the train bumped and shuffled its way away from the platform.

Talk centred around the events of the summer. Ron and Ginny's family hadn't really done a lot. They spent their summer at their house as a family.

"Us too, we didn't really do much. To be honest, mum and dad were gone most of the time. They're on some mission for Dumbledore but wont tell us what it is" Josie said, looking up from her notes.

"My parents took us skiing. Broke my wrist on day one and mum wouldn't let me heal it with magic" Hermione said.

"Muggles" Ron said, shaking his head.

"We went to Australia for the holidays. It's winter over there" Hazel said.

"But no snow" Desmond added, glancing momentarily towards Josie as he spoke down at the pure white cat purring in his lap. His glance to Josie didn't go unnoticed by Harry and Harry made a mental note to keep an eye on him. Josie had also noticed the glance and she immediately grew uncomfortable.

"Well, there's snow, only in some places" Neville said.

"Still, Australia would have been beautiful" Hermione said.

"I'm going for a walk" Josie declared, as the train passed through a field of pine trees and a small lake.

"Don't get lost" Ginny called after her.

Josie left the crowded compartment and made her way past where the twins were seated. They were in deep conversation with Cleo and two boys Josie didn't recognise. It was good to see them speaking in English.

Josie passed the bathroom and headed down the end of the train, which had more open space. More space to breathe. She'd never tell anyone, but she felt claustrophobic in those small cabins, packed full of people. She passed a bunch of Hufflepuffs and some Ravenclaw girls who were giggling and looking over their shoulder at one of the boys who had somehow managed to get really buff over the summer. Josie made a note to check him out later.

She passed the open seating Slytherin carriage on her way to find the lunch trolley. She heard someone say "Potter" and turned to see Draco Malfoy, sitting with his group of idiot friends.

"Malfoy" she said in return, with her nose scrunched up, as she continued to walk. She would not give him the time of day. Not today.

She finally found the lunch trolley in the next car, and pulled some coins out from her pockets to make a purchase.

"Didn't think you'd be one to go for the sweets" came a voice from behind her.

She turned and saw that Draco had followed her.

"Well, perhaps I need sweetening up a little" she said.

"Perhaps" he said, as he looked her up and down.

"Puh-lease" she said, putting a hand on her hip. "Do not start this again" she said, remembering back to the year before when Draco had attempted to flirt with her on many occasions.

"Have a good summer?" he asked.

"It was fine, thanks. And you?" she asked, out of politeness as she paid for her items.

"Horrific" he said. "I'll spare you the details" he added.

"I'd appreciate that" she answered as she turned to walk away.

"You're dating that Longbottom kid, aren't you?" he asked before she had turned the handle to the next compartment.

"What?" she asked at the absurdity.

"Desmond, or whatever his name is" he asked.

"Des? No" she said.

"But you were?"

"For a while, last year, not that its your business" she snapped.

"Fine, fine", he said, holding his hands up in surrender as he backed away.

Josie made her way back through the train, thinking about Malfoy and his ever present irritating need to make everyone around him uncomfortable and annoyed.

'Or is it just me?' she wondered.

As she entered the compartment where her younger sisters sat, making conversation with other first years, she let the Malfoy thing go. He definitely was not someone she should be allowing to occupy her mind, for any length of time.

"Josie, these are our new friends... You already know Cleo, but this is Sarah, Blake and Mike. They're first years' too" Lyra said.

"Nice to meet you all" Josie said.

She tuned out to their conversation as the train rolled on, passing through the countryside and beyond. She watched the land pass by out the window and before she knew it, she was being woken by Carina.

"Sis, hey, Josie, we're here. Its time to get off the train" she said, shaking her older sister gently.

"Oh Merlin, I must have fallen asleep" she said.

"No doubt because you were up all night reading the first semesters texts?" Lyra said.

"Well, at least now I don't have to worry about paying attention in class. I already know how to turn a kitten into a clock" she said, yawning. She pointed her wand at herself and muttered some words under her breath and her Hogwarts robes appeared on her body.

"That was incredible" Cleo said.

"Just a little something I learnt last year. It comes in handy when you're running late. I can change on the stairs if I need to" Josie said. On anyone else, it would be seen as boasting, but when Josie spoke of the things she could do, that no one else her age could, it was informative and instructional. There was no pride in the way she spoke, just the passing of information. The way Josie liked it to be.

The children exited the train and made their way to the castle. Harry was eager for the feast, as was Ron, who was always eager for food.

The two older siblings made their way off the platform and over to the horseless carriages, while the twins were accompanied by Hagrid to the boats.

"I'll see you at the sorting" Josie called after them as they nervously waved goodbye to their older siblings.

"Never actually thought about the sorting. Do you think they'll be in Gryffindor?" Harry asked Josie.

"Of course. Both of their parents were and so are we. There's no way they'll go anywhere but with us" Josie said confidently.

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Neville piped in, "I've got Lyra pegged for a Ravenclaw" he said.

Josie swatted at Neville who jumped back, laughing.

"Don't be absurd Nev" Josie said, as the carriage rocked and swayed down the dirt road towards the castle.

"Isn't it beautiful" came the voice of Hazel, interrupting the banter.

Harry looked up and saw the shining lights of his second favourite place in the world, the first being his home.

"Never ceases to amaze me" Josie said in awe. Her favourite place was in fact the castle, but she was yet to divulge that to anybody.

In no time the group of students were filing into the great hall, taking their seats at their tables. "Isn't it strange..." began Hazel, "That each year we sit further and further up the table?" she said.

"Well, not really, I mean, the first years have to sit at the front, don't they?" Hermione said, from further up. She was sitting between Pavarti Patil and Dean Thomas who were other Gryffindors in her year. Josie simply sighed and took a bread roll from the table in front of her. Not that she was hungry, more for something to occupy her hands and her mind.

As the hall began to fill, Josie became more and more nervous for her sisters.

"Harry..." she called in a whisper to her brother, who was caught up in a cross table conversation with Seamus Finnigan. When he didn't acknowledge her, she called again, louder.

"What?" he asked, irritated by his little sister.

"We made mum and dad a promise, right? We said we'd look after the twins. But where are they? We just left them at Hogsmead" she said, anxiety present in her voice. It wasn't uncommon for Josie to feel anxious about something she couldn't control.

Harry moved from his seat to sit beside his sister. Ginny blushed when he sat between them.

"It will be fine" he said, looking directly into her face. He knew how to calm her, after years of doing exactly that. "They've been with Hagrid, right? He took them on the boats. Remember, Des fell in the lake in your first year? If they fall in, Hagrid will just snatch them back out. They're pretty cluey. They have each other. I'm certain they'll do fine" Harry said.

"No, you're right, I know you are" she said, breathing long slow breaths. "DAMN IT" she said suddenly, louder than she ought to have. It made everyone at their table jump and the rest of the hall look over in their direction.

Harry looked around and saw Professor McGonagall looking int heir direction, one eyebrow raised. Harry nodded slightly, a sign that he had calmed her impending panic attack.

"Its fine, Jose, don't worry" Harry said.

"I let my stupid thoughts carry on too far" she said, sighing.

"Hey, Potter" came the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry snapped.

"Maybe you should leave your sister alone... Clearly she has a problem with you" he said.

"Shut up Malfoy, you don't know what you're talking about" Ginny said from beside Harry., who was about to retort.

Malfoy just shrugged and sat at his own table.

"Are you ok now? Harry asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just hope the twins are ok" she said.

"Have you ever known them to be anything other than ok?" Harry asked with a smile.

Josie just rolled her eyes.

"Well, have you?" Harry said.

"No, ok. No they are fine as long as they have each other" Josie said.

"Will everybody take their places, the sorting with begin, momentarily" came the voice of Professor McGonagall.

Harry moved back to his place and as if the whole procession was waiting for him, the doors opened and the first years entered.

Harry looked at the group and recognised Hermione's little sister Cleo. She looked absolutely terrified as she stared up at the ceiling and out at the crowd.

Hermione called in a whisper to her and as soon as she spotted her older sister, she seemed to calm down.

The sorting began quickly, following a song by the hat, which stood on the same stool it had done in years gone by. The hat sang about impending danger and the need to stick together, house unity and sticking by your friends and family regardless of technicalities.

"Odd, wasn't it?" Hermione asked Josie.

"I thought I was the only one to notice" Josie said.

"Somethings coming" Hermione said.

"Yes, but I wonder what?" Josie asked, almost to herself.

"This year, we will sort the students in revere alphabetical order" McGonagall called, earning an eye roll and a sigh form Josie.

Josie turned back to the front as children were sorted into their houses. She sat, impatience emanating from her.

"Granger, Cleopatra" called McGonagall, after what seemed like an eternity.

As the scared little girl sat upon the stool and the hat was placed upon her head, she shook with what seemed to be fear or anticipation, no one could tell.

The brim of the hat opened and called "RAVENCLAW". Almost immediately, Cleo burst into tears and Hermione gasped.

"That cant be right. How can this happen?" Hermione questioned, as her younger sister hopped down off the stool, sobbing all the way to the Ravenclaw table.

Three other children were sorted while all of Hermione's friends sat in stunned silence.

"Black, Lyra" McGonagall called, gaining the attention of the Gryfindor table.

Lyra stepped forward, climbing up onto the stool and closed her eyes, waiting to be sorted. The hat hesitated, before calling, "GRYFFINDOR". The table where Harry and Josie sat erupted in applause Josie felt relieved as Lyra stepped down and McGonagall called for "Black, Carina".

Carina approached the stool, seeming calm and confident. She was certainly Harry and Josie's most outgoing, confident sibling. She took her seat on the stool and smiled as the hat was placed on her head. It was the longest time anyone has spent on the stool yet, and McGonagall herself seemed perplexed and almost made to remove the hat, when the hat called "SLYTHERIN".


	6. Decision is final

The Potters and the Blacks approached the headmaster immediately following the sorting.

"Professor, this cant be right" Harry said, as his youngest sister stood in stunned silence beside her twin.

"I can assure you Harry, as you well know, the hat sorts people based on a variety of characteristics. The fact that your sister was sorted into Slytherin is based on the workings of the hat" Dumbledore said calmly.

"But professor, surely she can be rehoused?" Josie asked.

"Now, miss Potter, you know as well as I do that the hat's decision is final" he said.

"I…" began Carina. "I think I will be ok in... in Slytherin" she said, obviously shocked but not sad.

"You can't! You cant be somewhere else. We've never spent time apart. Ever. What am I going to do?" Lyra cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Miss Black..." Dumbledore looked down at the distraught face of Lyra, "you are surrounded by people who care about you. You have friends and family surrounding you. You will be find. I can assure you. As for the other Miss Black, I believe that you will easily make friends, no matter where you sleep" he said, never faltering from his warm friendly smile as he considered them over his half moon spectacles.

He now looked up to the whole of the great hall and spoke again, "Students, please remember, it does not matter which house you are sorted into, it only matters that you make the most of your time here at Hogwarts and use this as an opportunity to develop some inter-house relationships.

At this, Dumbledore dismissed the group and the tabled filled with food.

Harry watched as Carina made her way to the other side of the hall and sat at the Slytherin table. She was greeted warmly by the other first years, however the higher years appeared to be huddled in conversation.

Josie was also watching the Slytherin table for signs that something was amiss. At the first sign of anything untoward occurring, Josie was going to pull her sister out of there.

She knew that at the first opportunity she had, she'd be in the library, most likely accompanied by Hermione, to identify a way to have both their sisters in their house where they belonged.

As Josie thought of the best isle in the library to find the appropriate book, she caught the eye of Malfoy, who seemed to offer her a brief, kind smile. Josie frowned at this and filled her plate with food from the feast.

Once the feast was over and the students were well and truly stuffed, Dumbledore called for the heads of the houses to take the students to their dormitories.

Josie hurried over to her Slytherin sister and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry I didn't keep you safe. I was supposed to protect you, I was supposed to make sure you got into Gryffindor. Rina, I'm so sorry" Josie said.

"I don't mind. Honestly. I think it will be the best thing.. you know, for Lyra and me" Carina said.

"You... you want this?" Josie asked.

"Well, I had a choice. The hat asked me. It sort of, showed me a view of what life would be like if Lyra and me both went to Gryffindor. It was just the same as home. Always just us, always together, no one else could ever get near us. Always talking our own language, never making friends or having relationships outside of each other. Then it told me that I had all the attributes that would be perfect for Slytherin. It showed me a life where I had friends, I was happy, smiling and laughing all the time. Lyra was the same, she had other friends, she was strong and independent. She really came out of her shell Jose. I _chose_ this. I _chose_ to be here" Carina said.

Josie just stood, shocked at her little sister's maturity.

"I... I was going to try and make it so you could be changed into Gryffindor. Or even Ravenclaw, to be with Cleo. But... that's not what you want, is it?" she asked.

Carina shook her head.

Josie took out her wand and circled it above her little sisters head, and watched as her robes were adorned with the snake emblem and green and silver appeared on her clothing.

"You're a Slytherin for real" Josie said, a tear in her eye.

"This is a good thing" Carina said, as she followed her fellow first years towards the exit of the great hall.

Harry and Lyra were waiting in the entrance hall for the pair, and they all hugged, before heading in opposite directions. Ron, Neville, Ginny and Desmond were loitering around as well as Hermione watched her younger sister head towards the western side of the castle.

"Well, I guess the hat was right. This is the time for inter-house collaboration" Ron said, as he put his arm around Hermione. Where she might have pulled away in the past, Hermione leaned into Ron's chest, allowing him to comfort her.

"Whats going on there?" Josie asked Ginny, quietly.

"Come on, they've had a thing for each other since they met" Ginny said.

"What? No way?" Josie asked, suddenly shocked by the idea that something happened that she wasn't already privy to.

"You're too busy trying to compete with Hermione to notice that she's been showing interest in Ron for months. Remember the ball last year?" Ginny said.

"Hermione went with Viktor Krum" Josie said.

"And did you see how jealous Ron was? And that fight they had at the end of the night? She's incredibly smart and he's..."

"not" Josie finished.

"... but somehow, they work" Ginny said, waling beside Josie, a few paces behind the group. "Speaking of working... Desmond, anybody?" Ginny asked.

"Don't" Josie said.

"Come on Jose, you two were the talk of last year. What happened?" Ginny asked.

"It just didn't work out" Josie said.

"Nope. Nuh uh, I'm not taking that as an answer. You two were all over each other on the train on the way home from school at the end of third year. What happened?" she asked.

Josie remembered the whirlwind romance she and Desmond had had at the end of the previous school year. The secret flirtation leading up to him declaring his feelings for her in one bold public admission. They had been inseparable since, and quite physical. Nothing ever sexual, but Josie's need to be constantly kissing him and his need to kiss her, had been mutual and an ever present feature of their relationship. If she were to be honest with herself, she did love him. She loved everything about him and she loved their relationship. The thing she didn't love, was who she was when she was with him. Her life became all about Des. She became one of those sickening girls who had an infatuation with a boy and couldn't function without always being around him. She broke it off with him over the summer in an emotional letter, before he had left for Australia. She knew it was the wrong thing to do, to ruin his holiday like that, but as soon as she had made up her mind, she couldn't sit on her decision. The moment she wrote that letter and tied it to the leg of her owl, she felt lighter and free.

"What do you want me to say? He's a fantastic guy, but the summer holidays thing just ruined us" Josie said.

"But you're back at school now" Ginny said, one eyebrow raised.

"Look, if he wanted to make out, I probably wouldn't say no, but how fair would that be to either of us? If he still has feelings for me, which, come on, he keeps staring at me, its pretty clear that he does, that would be the worst thing I could do. I don't want to be in a relationship. I'm 13" she said.

"And a half" Ginny added. "You're more mature and more intelligent than anyone I know. Even Hermione. You're probably more like 16, in your brain" Ginny said.

"Doesn't mean I'm going to jump back into what was looking to be a pretty serious and full on relationship. I'm not ready to... You know... be getting physical. And he's a guy. Obviously that's _his_ logical next step, Gin" Josie said.

"Ha! Now I get it. You're afraid" Ginny said, as the pair trudged up the staircases.

"I'm most definitely not afraid. Well, you know... Actually I am. I'm afraid to get to a point in a _High School relationship_, where its like 'ok, now we've made out daily and that's boring, time to have sex. Oh, whoops, I'm pregnant, oh shit'. Yep, no, sorry, not for me" Josie said.

"Well, if he's as good a kisser as you say, mind if I try him out?" Ginny said.

"What about Harry?" Josie asked, as the girls neared the group who were gathered around the portrait of the fat lady.

"Come on, hes clearly not interested" Ginny said.

"I think you'll find..." Josie said.

"No, Josie. I've spent my entire life idolising Harry. My first year, when I was so obsessed, it allowed me to be possessed by Lord Fucking Voldemort. I need to get over him. I need to date other guys to get my mind off him" Ginny said, sadness evident in her voice.

"Shit, Ginny, I didn't realise you actually loved him. I thought... Well, I guessed you had always had a high school crush" Josie said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't know what it is Jose. I cant explain it..." she said, stepping through the portrait hole, into the crowded room. "...I just need it to stop" she said, turning and coming face to face with the person she was talking about.

"Where did you two get to?" Harry asked.

"We were dawdling" Josie said, putting her arm around Ginny.

"Do you think Carina will be ok?" Harry asked.

"You know, at first I didn't. I was scared for her and so worried. But I actually think she'll do fine. She's a Black. The Backs were in Slytherin for generations. Actually, very generation of Black was in Slytherin until dad came along. Now that I think of it I'm surprised that Lyra is in Gryffindor" Josie said.

"Where is she anyway?" Ginny asked.

"Shes over there with Hermione and Ron. Probably being adopted by Hermione as her own, considering Cleo went off to Ravenclaw" Harry said.

"Still cant believe that" Josie said.

"I think this year will be very different" Harry said.

Harry was right. The first three months of the year were chaotic, at best. The new defence against the dark arts professor was very strict and used unusual methods of punishment when she was questioned. The workload, while not difficult for Josie, was building for Harry and the rest of the 4th and 5th years.

They often found themselves in the library, in hushed conversations about the correct potion for this or that or the Goblin revolution of 1724.

Carina had formulated herself a group of friends in Slytherin, while Lyra had initially withdrawn more into her shell, but quickly found a close friendship with two other Gryffindor first years. The twins still spent time with each other, but their need to be together, was no longer an ever-present deep seeded need.

December brought with it a chill that crept into the bones of the castle. Hagrid brought in a tree that was decorated by magic and placed it in the entrance hall. The students all gathered around the tree and, particularly the first years, who hd never seen a tree so enchanting, marvelled at its majesty.

Defence against the dark arts had been taken over by a toad like woman who had, all year, refused to teach them any practical defence skills.

Josie found out that it had earned Harry a detention when he protested.

"She just screamed at me 'who would want to hurt children'? It was so patronising" Harry had said earlier that day at breakfast, sporting a nasty red rash on the top of his hand.

"Does she not know that Voldemort's death eaters are increasing in numbers? Or that Pettigrew got away and is most likely hanging out with Voldemort as we speak?" Josie said.

"I did bring that to her attention. She thinks that I imagined the whole death eater thing in the maze and that the reason I lost so much blood is because I tripped on my own feet and cut my arm on a branch" Harry said.

"Typical. In the ministers pockets, isn't she?" Neville said.

"Of course" Harry agreed.

The weeks flew by and the group of children all travelled home for the holidays.

"I still think that you should teach us some proper defence" Hazel said to Harry on the train.

"Why me though?" Harry asked wondering how he suddenly became teacher of the year.

"Come on, you fought off a dozen death eaters last year..." Hazel said.

"And dementors before that" Ginny piped in.

"You're the only one who can produce a corporeal patronus" Hermione said.

"Look, that's all well and good, but I'm certainly no teacher. Besides, where would we possibly be able to gather in a place big enough to try out all these spells?" Harry asked.

"How about the room of requirement?" Des said, making himself known for the first time since they had been on the train.

"The what?" Hermione asked.

"Des seems to think that there's a secret room in the castle that can transfigure into anything you need it to be. Its all a bunch of Hippogryff shit if you ask me" Hazel said, flicking her sandy blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Its real, I've seen it" Josie said, looking up from her notebook.

She remembered the time Des took her to the room for some privacy.

_They walked past the empty wall three times, Des seeming to focus hard. He never let go of her hand, so she walked with him, up and down the corridor. When she looked up, a tremendous door had appeared where there had previously been vacant wall space.  
They cautiously stepped through the doorway and into a cosy little room that had a fireplace, a comfy couch and a table of snacks and drinks for two.  
Josie turned and found herself in the arms of Des. He smiled at her and she saw his perfect handsome face that he usually hid behind his frown. She couldn't help but kiss him, and kiss him she did. They moved to the couch and sat, continuing their kissing. She was in heaven now. There was no place she would rather be, than right here with her boyfriend.  
"I'm so glad I found this place, now we can come here whenever we want" Des said.  
"Lets come here everyday" she said.  
"Multiple times a day" Des said, kissing her again.  
"How about we just stay here?" Josie asked.  
"I think that could be arranged" Des said._

When she pulled herself out of that intense memory, everyone in the carriage was looking at her.

"What?" she asked, looking back down at her book.

"Where were you just then?" Harry asked.

"No where, I was just... nowhere" she said, feeling her cheeks turn red. She quickly looked around the room, pausing on Des for the briefest of seconds, noticing him smiling at her. That smile he previously reserved for her eyes only. He seemed to know where her mind had been.

"I'm getting out of here, you can all decide where to do this stupid class and let me know" she said, leaving the compartment and heading down the opposite end of the train.

She once again found herself in the end compartment of the train, past the Slytherins and at the snack trolley.

The carriage, which had seats for 20, only contained 5 or so people. Not many students seemed keen to return home for the holidays.

Josie was picking through a packet of Berty Botts Every Flavoured Beans, the ones she knew she liked, when another student entered the compartment.

Malfoy came walking into the compartment and straight to the food trolley. He bought some pumpkin pasties and turned to leave but stopped when he noticed Josie sitting there.

Attempting casual swag, he came and sat beside her, not speaking, but eating his food and looking out the window and back at Josie.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked, when he was staring directly at her.

"Just enjoying the view" he said.

"Well enjoy it then and stop looking at me" she said.

"I am" he said.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, looking around as the 5 or so other students left and headed back to their compartments.

"Here" he said, handing her an unopened bottle of fizzy pumpkin juice.

She took it, feeling confused as to what was going on. Why was Draco Malfoy sitting beside her?

"How's your school year been so far?" he asked.

"Fine" she answered.

"Come on Potter, I'm trying to be nice here" he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why not?"

"You hate my brother and every single person he is friends with" she said.

"But I like you" he said, looking uncomfortably into her eyes.

"You don't know me" she said.

"I know you're smart. And funny and about the most normal person in the school" he said.

"How would you know any of that, you have spent absolutely zero time with me" she said.

"I'm highly observant" he said.

"Thanks for the drink" she said, after a long, awkward pause, before getting up to walk away.

"Wait" he said, following her towards the exit of the carriage.

"For what?" she asked.

"Just, send me an owl, will you?" he asked, grabbing her arm. For the briefest of seconds, she thought she felt something like an electric current pulse through her arm at his touch. Almost like static electricity, but without the zap and more like a warm sensation that travelled through her whole body.

"Why?" she asked, clearly thrown by this.

"I want to get to know you" he said.

"Merlin, you're good. Yep, no problem, I'll owl you, Malfoy" she said, sarcasm rolling off her words as she exited the carriage.

As she made her way through the train and into the compartment she left about 20 minutes beforehand, she thought about how ridiculous it was to have Malfoy of all people, admit that he likes her. She couldn't think of anything more repulsive. Knowing the little she knew of Malfoy, she figured he was probably trying to bait her into trusting him so he could hurt her, or Harry or both. She decided that she would play his little game. She would owl him as soon as she got home and use it as an opportunity to find out as much about him as she could, so when the time came, and she knew very well that the time would come, then she could use it against him, the way he would probably use her information against her.

The train arrived at Kings Cross station on time and the four siblings were greeted by their parents, who, for some reason, looked incredibly tired. Josie disregarded it as a complication of adulthood and travelled home with her family via the floo network.

Josie was thrilled to be in her room, in her own bed, by herself for once. It was almost 10pm by the time she finished dinner and having, what her parents liked to call 'family time'. She lived her family, but they could be incredibly time consuming.

She got up from her bed, not feeling tired in the slightest and took out a piece of paper and a pen. She was thrilled that her parents still preferred to stick to muggle ways at home as much as they could. Josie never understood why more muggle ways weren't adopted into the wizarding world as she twirled the pen through her fingers.

As she wrote his name on the piece of paper, she thought to herself, 'there's_ no going back now_'.

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	7. Letters at Christmas

Malfoy,  
You wanted me to owl you.  
Josie Potter

Josie,  
I am pleased to receive your owl so soon. I hope all is well.  
Draco

Malfoy  
I had nothing better to do. Turns out, family time is boring. All is well, thank you.  
Josie

Josie  
I know what you mean, my family is a nightmare. I think we must live close by. Or this owl can travel at lightning speeds.  
Draco

Malfoy,  
I live on the outskirts of London. That's all I'm telling you. Why did you want me to owl you?  
Josie

Josie,  
We do live close by then. Like I said, I like you. I want to get to know you. And more importantly, I think that if you got to know me, you might like me too.  
Draco

Malfoy,  
I'm not sure what potions you're high on, but I don't think there's a universe that exists anywhere, where I would ever like you.  
Josie.

Josie,  
Give me a chance. If you get to know me and still think I'm a prat, then no harm done, right?  
Draco

Malfoy,  
Go ahead then. Tell me all about you and your poor hard life in your huge manor, surrounded by your house elves and your parents who are both still alive and still together.  
Josie

Josie,  
Its funny, you believe exactly what I want you and everyone else to believe.  
Draco

Malfoy,  
Exactly, so why do you want me to see you any other way? You made me see you this way. You put out an image of exactly who you are. I see you Draco Malfoy.  
Josie

Josie,  
I suppose you do see that version of me. The version I have wanted everyone to see since I was 11 years old. Not exactly accurate.  
Draco

Malfoy,  
What is it about the things I said that is incorrect? The Manor? Your parents?  
Josie

Josie,  
Yes, I suppose you're right. I do live in a huge cold drafty mansion that's so big I rarely ever see anybody apart from my own reflection. I have House Elves that are treated very poorly by my father and they continue to serve us nevertheless. I can't be nice to them, because they don't stick around long enough for me to speak to them. My parents are still alive, but their marriage is not a happy one. They were forced into an arranged marriage for convenience and conceived me through a duty to the 'common good', or so they call it. They expect me to follow their suit when I am of age, regardless of my wishes. I guess you could say, you're right. I do live in a big manor with elves and both of my parents are alive and I suppose they're together most of the time.  
Draco

Malfoy  
What do you want me to say?  
Josie

Josie  
Just agree that there's more to me than you see on the surface.  
Draco

Malfoy,  
Ok, I admit. I see the potential for something that lies beneath the surface of this mask you claim to wear.  
Josie

Josie,  
Thank you. That's all I could hope for for now. Its late, I should let you get some sleep.  
Draco

* * *

Josie,  
I hope you slept well. So you want to know me? The real me? Beneath this mask that I wear every day? Just know that I'm putting myself out there, which I never do. I claim to be this pure blood fanatic, but really, I don't believe a word of it. I torment Granger because I feel like I have to live up to the Malfoy status. Its disgusting and I am ashamed and I will stop if it will make you see the real me. I make out like I goof off a lot and don't take work seriously, but in actual fact, I am quite smart. I get great marks but cant take pride in my work because that isn't seen as 'essential' by my family. I am jealous of your brother because he got on the quidditch team in first year and made loads of friends straight away without even trying. Granger was right in second year, I had to buy y way in tot he team. My father had all these expectations and in the end, I couldn't live up to them. He bought the whole team nimbus 2000s and never let me forget how much of a disappointment I was. I trained incredibly hard to be good enough just to be on the team. No one ever sees me for who I am. A teenager who likes to read interesting novels and likes this girl he can never have, because she thinks hes the scum of the earth. I don't know how to be the real me at school. I still feel the need to live up to what people expect of me. I hope this makes you see me, a little better than you did before. Like I said, I am not the person you think I am.  
Draco

Draco,  
I did sleep well, thank you. I am shocked at your truthful honesty. It takes a lot to be open in that way with someone you barely know. Which novels do you read? I'm quite partial to Jane Austin if I am honest. And that's what this is about, right? Honesty? I should probably share some things about me then. What do you want to know?  
Josie

Josie  
Everything. Tell me everything.  
Draco

Draco  
Things about me. Lets see... I like to read, I have a really high IQ, not that I am boasting. I have a memory condition that means I remember everything I see, hear and read immediately and retain the information forever. I can remember things clearly as far back as when I was a toddler. It is physically impossible for me to forget things. Sometimes I wish I could, it would probably make life much easier. My owl's name is Emlin and she's a Great Horned Owl. She usually fends for herself, but she likes the owl treats from Eeylops Owl Emporium. Got her for my 10th birthday. Did I mention I started Hogwarts when I was 10? High IQ and quite developed emotional maturity and all of that. Bored yet?  
Josie

Josie  
Fascinating. So you remember every word ever spoken to you, every look, every feeling, everything? That is incredibly intense. And scary. Nevertheless, your owl is spectacular. I've never seen one like her, and I've seen a lot of owls. She has completely cleaned me out of owl treats while she waits for me to reply to you. I was aware that you began Hogwarts young, but I thought by a couple of months or so. Just when is your birthday? I was born on the 5th of June, 1980, if that is of any concern to you. Age is nothing to me, you seem like you're wise beyond your years. Certainly have given me a run for y money loads of times.  
Draco

Draco  
Age is an interesting thing. I've always been on par with Harry, so everyone has laways thought we were twins. 'Two sets of twins' they would say to our mother, when really, everyone knows the story. I was born on the 10th of April 1982. That makes me almost a whole two years younger than you. Turned off yet?  
Josie

Josie  
Never. If anything I now like you more than I did before.  
Draco

Draco  
You're not as entirely repulsive anymore  
Josie

Josie  
That's something at least  
Draco

Draco  
My parents have been questioning me about what I've been up to. I suppose I should show my face around the house.  
Josie

Josie  
I should do the same. I look forward t hearing from you.  
Draco

* * *

Josie  
Well, Christmas eve was a bust. My parents squabbled over whether I am of age or not and my present this year was the confirmation that I will marry in less than two years with a woman I have yet to meet. Or have met and I have no idea who they are. Some pure blood witch whose family needs an income boost. I remember once as a child finding a set of matching boxes which are used to transport items between them, as a passage. I thought it'd be more useful than owl post. So I searched through the basement and I found them. Hopefully my owl can carry one to you, unseen. Its not very pretty, but does the job. Upon your reply, just put the note in and close the lid. Whatever you put in travels to the matching pair once the lid is closed. Impressive, yes?  
Draco

Draco  
I am sorry for your impending marriage. Why don't you just tell them that you don't want to marry the person they say? Why is blood purity more important to them than their own son's happiness? I just don't understand. This box is incredibly beautiful and very powerful. I've never seen anything like it. It will make your mission to annoy me with your 'I want to get to know you' garbage more easily attainable. Congratulations.  
Josie

Josie  
Come on, I thought we were past that?  
Draco

Draco  
Don t make me go back to calling you Malfoy. Because I will.  
Josie.

Potter  
Then I'll call you Potter  
Malfoy

How about I just don't address the note, nor sign off?

You can do whatever you want. Just don't stop speaking to me.

I'm not speaking to you.

Clearly.

Will you want me to? When we go back to school?

Of course.

What about when word gets around that you're fraternising with the enemy?

Are you worried about what people will say?

Of course I am. I dated Desmond Longbottom and people didn't shut up about it for weeks.

So we're dating now?

What? No. I was just using it as a comparison. Isn't that where this is going?

Relax. I told you. I like you. But I want to know you. I want you to know me. Just yesterday, you hated me. Remember?

Are you mocking me? Of course I remember. I remember everything. You were an ass.

Were. Past tense, right?

If you insist.

So you don't think I'm an ass?

I will always think you're an ass. You torment people just to prove that you can. Just to prove to everyone around you that you fit in. Just to try and live up to some stupid expectation.

So that's a no to the potential dating thing then?

No.

So its a no? Or no its not a no?

No.

You confuse me.

Doesn't take much I see.

Will you answer me?

No – I have to go, spend time with the family. The twins are doing charades.

Whats charades?

I'll show you some time.

So that's a yes on the speaking in person thing?

No.

* * *

Draco, Christmas has been amazing. It snowed here. I suppose it snowed where you are too. I have spent the day with my family, catching snow flakes and sharing gifts. Its been wonderful. I hope your Christmas has been equally as exciting. Josie.

It was great to hear from you, I wondered how your Christmas morning went. Did the bacon and eggs go down well? I had a full English breakfast cooked by the house elves, while my parents entertained... some... guests. I'll save you the details there. Needless to say i'll spend the rest of my time at home in my room.

Bacon and eggs was fabulous. I received a white gold charm bracelet from my parents, which I fear is a secret tracking device. Not that I go anywhere they don't approve of anyway. I know its illegal, but I cast a spell on the charms and one of them is a tracker but one is also a safety charm. Spelled to disapparate me to my home if I'm in danger. They don't know that I know, so I'll just keep that one to myself. Good to know. Good for you to know. Don't ever attempt to kidnap me. It works even within wards. I've been doing loads of illegal wand work at home. As it turns out, the ministry cant actually track who is using magic, just that magic is used. So my underage magic can go on.

You know, if I were really an ass, i'd be fooling you and use that last note as a means to have you punished. Underage magic is something the ministry takes quite seriously you know.

Well, I guess I'll have to wait and see if they come for me then, wont I?

I guess you will. Then you'll finally know if I'm serious or if I'm an ass.

Only time will tell.

* * *

Did I ever tell you that I like to keep a journal?

Are you kidding? I am constantly writing in my journal. What do you write about?

Mostly my parents, their pure blood idiocy, the desperation I feel daily to escape. Maybe some day I can show it to you. I've been writing since second year when the basilisk started attacking everyone.

I write to stop the panic attacks.

What are your triggers?

That's the thing, if I knew, then I could just be preventative.

Tell me about the most recent one.

It happened in the lead up to coming home for Christmas. I just got overwhelmed getting organised. I hadn't packed in time, I didn't leave enough time to make sure the twins were packed. Harry wasn't packed. I just thought, 'this is it, we're not getting home and everything is ruined and its all my fault'.

So that tells me you get overwhelmed and panic when you don't have control. You feel like you're letting everyone down.

That's true, I suppose.

Come on Josie Potter, are you smart or what?

Yes, I am a control freak, alright. I admit it. You win.

No, that's completely not it at all.

So genius, tell me what it is.

You have a lot resting on your shoulders. You're not even the oldest yet here you are taking responsibility for looking after all three of them.

I hardly see Harry doing it.

Me neither, but sometimes you need to let the chips fall and see who else is there to pick them up.

Even thinking about it makes me want to hyperventilate.

So how to you pull yoursefl out of it usually?

Harry.

What about when he isn't around?

It takes a long time. Usually I black out.

What is it specifically that he does?

He centres me. I cant explain it really, he just looks at me, dead in the eyes and talks to me and suddenly I can hear again, the fog goes away and I can breathe.

Good to know.

You think you're going to try?

As if you'd let me

It'd probably induce further panic to be fair.

* * *

We're leaving for the train shortly.

As am I. The elves are packing my bag.

I guess I'll see you on the platform?

I'll wave

I wont

Hmm, me neither.

This is going to be incredibly weird.

It doesnt have to be.

It will though. Ts the elephant in the room we've been avoiding this whole week.

Elephants are big. How can you avoid them?

Its a muggle saying. You cant avoid it. You see it, you hear it, you smell it, but you just pretend its not there. You're the Slytherin Prince. I'm the Gryffindor queen of my year. We cant be friends.

Hopefully that will all change some day.

Well, until then, what do we do?

Continue to be secret friends?

Lame

Do you have any suggestions?

No!

Well, i'll see you at school. And you can write to me. Dont foget your box.

I wouldn't forget it. Its the best Christmas present ever.

Christmas present? If you insist. It was originally purely for convenience, but i'll take that. So, I expect my gift soon then?

The fact that I took you up on your offer and owled you in the first place is gift enough.

True.

So i'll see you around then?

I'll be at the food trolley.

You'll wait a while.

I'll wait all day.

Bye Draco.

Bye Josie.


	8. The Train and the journal

The Potters and the Blacks stood on platform 9 and ¾ saying their goodbyes.

"As much as I've loved being home, I really just want to get back to school" Harry said.

"Of course, so much learning to do son" Sirius said sarcastically.

"Harry's going to be teaching us..." Lyra began.

"The importance of keeping up with homework and studies" Josie said.

"I thought that was more up your alley, Jose?" Sirius asked, scruffing the top of her hair.

"Can you not mess up my hair? It took me ages to get it decent" Josie said.

"Oh well, sorrrreeeeyyyyyy miss perfect hair, here i'll fix it for you" Sirius said, smoothing it back down in an over enthusiastic manner.

"Oh my gods, you're the worst" Josie said with a smile on her face. She hugged her step-father and her mum before the rest of her siblings got a chance and headed for the train.

She found two empty compartments and claimed them for her friends and family. As she stood in the corridor between the doors ,she watched other students come and go. When she saw the back of some Slytherin robes, her heart rate increased and she became excited until she realised it was just a 3rd year boy.

'_What the hell is wrong with me_?' she thought to herself, as she began to realise what was happening. She spent the better part of the next few minutes arguing with herself in her mind about whether of not having a crush on Draco Malfoy was completely absurd or if being a teenager meant that it was perfectly normal to have a thing for the '_bad boy'_.

She was pulled from her thoughts by Hazel, who had entered the corridor and pulled Josie into the compartment she was holding.

"Ok, so you will never guess what happened over the holidays" Hazel began, in a way only Hazel could. Hazel was always the drama queen, forever getting herself into trouble and always eager for the boys to notice her. She had a great home life and her parents were amazing, but the way she acted out and got into trouble would make anyone believe the complete opposite.

"Please enlighten me" Josie said unenthusiastically, picking at a chipped nail.

"So, you know that boy in Nev and Harry's year, the one who just blows stuff up all the time? she said.

"Seamus?" Josie asked.

"That's the one. Anyway, he owled me at the Christmas break" Hazel continued.

The pair spent the next few minutes talking about how Hazel was now dating Seamus and that she was going to keep it a secret from Neville because Neville would definitely not approve.

Josie was glad for the conversation, as it kept her mind from her own personal life.

"So what are you going to do then? Just snog him in secret?" Josie asked.

"Well, we have agreed to meet at the back compartment of the train just after we pass the foggy marsh" Hazel began, "but not for anything suspicious, just to hang out" she said.

"Hazel, I know you. You'll be snogging him in no time" Josie said as Harry and the twins entered the compartment.

"Who's snogging who?" Harry asked, casually sitting in the window seat.

"No one" Josie said.

"Josie was just telling me about a story she heard from a girl in our year" Hazel said.

"Yeah some Ravenclaw trollop who's been snogging a different boy every week. Its kind of ridiculous" Josie said.

"Almost like some fiery red head we know" Hazel piped up.

"Ginny?" Harry asked.

"As if you haven't noticed big brother. Shes trying so hard to get over you that she'll snog just about anyone to keep her mind away from the fact that she just wants to snog you" Josie said.

"Don't be ridiculous" Harry said. "Ginny and me are friends. In fact, shes my best friends little sister. I've known her since we were kids. If she had a thing for me I'd know" Harry said.

"You're completely oblivious Harry" Hazel said.

At this, Ron entered the compartment with Ginny on his tail.

"How was everyone's Christmas?" Ron asked.

"Thrilling" Hazel said.

"Same old" Josie said, shrugging.

"Pretty average. You?" Harry said.

"Fine" Ron answered.

"Ginny?" Josie asked.

"Lets see, I spent the week surrounded by my brothers, getting questioned about every aspect of my life and teased relentlessly... Plus, I'm wearing a fuzzy woollen jumper with the letter G on it. I'm desperate to get back to school" she said, not looking in Harry's direction.

"I bet you're eager to see Dean, hey?" Hazel asked.

"What?" Ginny asked, her cheeks turning as red as her hair.

"Are you or are you not currently dating Dean Thomas?" Hazel asked.

Ginny looked around the compartment, glancing ever so briefly in Harry's direction before answering.

"So what if I am. You know, my love life isn't anybodies business" she snapped, and left the compartment.

"I bet shes going to find Dean and snog him" Hazel said with a grin as she leaned back on the seat.

"You're a real bitch sometimes" Josie said, getting up and following Ginny out.

The train ride was mostly uneventful. Josie accompanied Ginny to the open style carriage where the two sat talking most of the ride to Hogwarts.

Josie didn't go to the food trolley to meet Malfoy, nor did she write to him. She had made up her mind almost in the instant while the banter regarding snogging and boys bounced back and forth and decided that her efforts were best spent focusing on her school work.

When the train was about to arrive at Hogsmead, the two girls changed into their robes at the girls bathroom and freshened up.

"So, you're really dating Dean?" Josie asked.

"Yeah... I am" Ginny answered.

"Well, good on you" Josie said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, Merlin knows you've had a thing for Harry forever" she began as Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying, Gin, that its good you're not letting yourself be held back by a thing that Harry isn't ready for" Josie said.

"What do you mean ready for?" Ginny asked.

"He's had so much on his plate the last year or so and noticing this hot girl right in front of him who's been in love with him forever is not high on his list of capabilities. Date Dean. Date whoe ever you want. Make Harry jealous and make him see that he wants you as much as you want him. Be your confident self. Be better than your confident self. Be that and more. As soon as he realises, he'll be kicking himself for not grabbing hold of you sooner" Josie said.

"You think?" Ginny asked.

"I know" Josie said.

"You don't think I'm a tramp?" Ginny asked, tears evident in her bright brown eyes.

"No way Ginny. If you were a boy and went about snogging half the castle..." she began.

"Like Malfoy..." Ginny said.

"Yes like... wait, what?" Josie asked, suddenly thrown by the information she hadn't realised.

"Like Malfoy, he's snogged every girl in Slytherin in his year" Ginny said.

"Right... Well, Malfoy, I bet, is praised by his friends, seen as some sort of hero. How is it any different that you've snogged, what.. a handful of guys?" Josie asked.

"One. One other guy. And Dean. I swear, that's it" Ginny sad.

"Then, my dear friend, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. And I'll defend you to the ends of the earth if anyone says anything to the contrary" Josie said, earning her a hug from her best friend.

The girls left the bathroom right as the train pulled into the station. They were waiting by the door to exit the train when Josie heard a familiar voice travel down the carriage towards where they were.

"Don't tell me..." Ginny said, looking around to see Malfoy approach and stand just behind them. He was with a boy in his year named Theodore Nott, a fellow Slytherin, talking about Quidditch.

"Ladies" Theo said in a drawn out manner that suggested neither contempt or any other particularly negative connotation.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Ginny asked.

"Leaving the train, as are you" he said, seemingly conflicted in his response.

Josie turned to look at him and instead of seeing the kind funny boy she had been writing to all week, she saw the same Malfoy she had seen the last few years. The tormentor, the bully, the arrogant self righteous pure blood slytherin who had caused her friends so much grief for 5 years. There was no way she could continue continue communicating with him if the mere sight of him makes her think of Death Eaters who almost killed her brother.

"Well, would you mind stepping back? You're crowding us" Ginny said, while Josie remained silent.

Malfoy raised his hands in defeat and he and Theo stepped back.

Pretty soon the doorway was beginning to become crowded with people and Malfoy and Theo were forced closer to the girls who stood close to the doorway.

Josie could sense him close to her and it made her feel nervous. She could smell cologne, but wasnt sure if it was Malfoy's or Theo's. It was beginning to make her head spin and before long she found herself breathing fast and all sounds around her began to echo. She gripped the railing beside her for support and found that she could not turn, she could not run, she could not move. She was trapped in this tiny space, near the exit of the train carriage with 10 or so people behind her.

Just as her breathing became faster and she felt her heart rate climb, she felt a hand on her arm, the one closest to the wall, where no one could see. It was unexpected and the feeling of the persons warm hand on her clammy skin halted her panic. She turned and directly behind her was the face of Draco, looking directly into her eyes, as though he knew her, as though he could tell what it was that she needed in this moment. He closed his eyes, and as if it were an instruction, Josie closed hers too. It was the briefest of interactions, but it calmed her immediately.

Ginny hadn't noticed at all, she was so busy watching the countryside melt into the village of Hogsmead. When Josie opened her eyes, her hearing was back and she didn't feel so trapped. She turned back around and within seconds, the train had arrived and the doors opened onto the platform, sending fresh air into Josie's lungs.

"Can I talk to you a second?" Draco asked her as she stepped off the train.

"I... I don't think that's a good idea" Josie said as she walked down the platform, not looking at the face of the person who just pulled her from her panic.

"Why?" he asked.

At this, she spun around, almost causing him to walk directly into her. Looking around she noticed everyone was so busy with bags, boys, owls or their friends, that this little interaction was, so far, going unnoticed.

Josie pulled Draco into a small sitting room that was in the middle of the platform so they could have this conversation out of the way of prying eyes.

"I thought..." he began.

"You thought. Yes, of course you thought Malfoy. Look around. Look at what we are and who we are. Your friends, my friends. Our families. We cant be seen talking to each other. It was stupid of me to have sent you that owl and it was even worse for me to have been writing to you all week. I cant be friends with you" she said.

"Screw what they all think. Why cant we be the first to do what the sorting hat said and create inter-house unity?" he asked, seeming desperate now.

"Why are you pushing this? I'm Josie Potter, the sister of your mortal enemy. Just move on. Go back to snogging the girls in your house and leave me be" she said.

"That's not... I..." he stammered, not knowing what to say.

"Exactly. Just forget it all" Josie said. "I have to go find my sisters" she said, and left the small room.

* * *

The next few months at Hogwarts flew by, uneventfully. Harry and Hermione had managed to pull off the secret defence classes and formed a group known as the DA, or Dumbledore's army. There were many changes going on around the school, not the least of which was the replacement of Dumbledore with Professor Umbridge, the largely under qualified defence teacher. There were new rules, stricter class schedules and more homework, as if there hadn't already been enough.

Josie found that she hadn't even had a spare moment to think about Malfoy at all since returning from the train. He had thrown her, that's for sure and she had passed him in the halls and given brief thought to their almost-friendship, but that was as far as her mind allowed her to carry on. She was far too focused on school work, and at the rate she was going she was looking to finish her NEWTS on time with Harry.

In June, Josie found herself looking through her trunk for some potions she thought to have been in there when she came across the box that Malfoy had given her. She hadn't given it much thought since arriving back after Christmas, but was now intrigued, as it seemed to contain a lot of items inside.

She rummaged though and pulled out a stack of notes, all tied together. She opened the first one:

* * *

_Josie, I apologise for whatever I have done. I waited for you at the food cart for most of the train ride, hoping you'd come see me. I guess you changed your mind._  
_Draco_

_Josie, I am eager to hear from you. Please write to me soon._

_Josie. I am really confused as to what happened between us communicating before we returned to Hogwarts and now. What have I done?_

_Josie. You mentioned me snogging all the girls in Slytherin house. I want you to know thats not true. Yes, i've certainly kissed a few girls, but not loads. Please reply. Draco._

_Josie, what in Salazar's name is gong on? Its been weeks since Christmas and is it not reasonable for me to expect you to at least acknowledge the letters I've been writing you?_

_Josie, sorry for that last letter. I would have taken it out, but I fear it ruins the authenticity of how I am feeling. I like you. I got to know you and I started liking you more. I thought you liked me. I am just a little hurt, that's all._

_Josie, I walked past you in the corridor today and you looked straight through me as though I wasn't there. What have I done?_

_Josie, I made a concerted effort to be where you were today and again, nothing. Its like i'm nothing to you. Please, what have I done? I don't want to give up, but i'm not going to wait around flogging a dead hyppogriff._

_Josie, Its been a few weeks since I've written. This thing with Dumbledore and Umbridge has everyone, even the Slytherins on edge. There's talk of a secret group that your brother might be running. You need to be on the look out._

_Josie, I'm sure by now you've herd of the inquisitorial squad and what the aim is. And you might have heard that I'm on it. Look, I care about you, but I cant keep covering for you Gryffindors any longer. I've created diversions and things but pretty soon they're going to come and find you._

_Josie, Please, write to me._

_Josie, its been months. I cant keep this up. As I told you once, I have written a journal since second year and I will place it in the bottom of this box each time I write in it. I want you to read it so you can get to know the real me. I'm not the pure blood fanatic that I portray. You know that. I told you that. But I think perhaps, if you read it for yourself, the way that I've changed over the years, you might see me in another light. I'll leave it at this. I wont keep writing to you. I will leave these notes here in order and this will be the last._

* * *

At this, Josie found the heavy leather bound book on the bottom of the box and pulled it out. She opened the first page and skimmed through a few paragraphs. She was hesitant to read on, because she knew that this was still just one complication in her life that she didn't want. Draco had seemed so eager for her to just write to him, how could any kind of friendship work when he appeared this needy.

She flicked through the letters again and noted to herself that that amount of letters in three months really was not completely overboard, but for him to leave his journal for her was a little extreme.

She really did not want to read the inner thoughts of 12 year old Draco, but almost as if she was pulled in my the book, something that caused her great concern, she read on.

Draco's entries were primarily fear based in the beginning. He was so afraid of this snake but even more than that, he was afraid that someone would find out that he was afraid. And he was afraid that his father would find out that he wasn't the person he had supposedly brought him up to be.

The entries over the next year seemed to drift more towards his parents and how their expectations of him were so high. He tried so hard to be the kind of person they wanted him to be. The pure blood, the muggle hater, but found that, more and more, he was questioning the entire belief system and inwardly rebelling against the idea of muggles having 'dirty blood', despite feeling overwhelming pressure to outwardly depict the muggle hater persona.

Then, last year, he wrote of his ideas surrounding the cup. He was almost accurate in a way. He wrote that someone must have entered Harry into the cup and it could only have been a spectacular dark wizard. This compelled Draco more and more to be demonstrating to the world, the lie that was the Malfoy name. Every time he spoke a bad word about someone, namely Hermione or any other muggle born, he wrote a confession. There were pages and pages of apologies, written to muggle born and non muggle born children, whom he was compelled to bully. None of it he meant, but he was so fearful of being caught being a 'nice guy' that he overplayed his role as the antagonist.

The summer entries for that year centred mostly around his family, and the changes that he sensed happening. There was movement in the manor, visitors, hushed conversations, concern, fear and worry. He spent the time mostly in his room or in the fields, riding his broom. He thought about things he could do differently in the coming school year.

From then, it focused on the changes at school. He spoke of a girl that he began noticing, who seemed to have "changed within a matter of weeks". Draco spoke about how he always tried to go to the places he knew she would be, despite her being in a different house to her. He wrote about how he might be able to open a dialogue with this girl, how he could get her to see the real him. He found the idea of it to be hopeless.

Finally, this year's entries were about how he could change, that there might be hope for him because the girl had finally acknowledged him. The girl was everything good in the world and if she would let him, she could help him be good too.

As the last few pages drew to an end, the hope for a future diminished. The idea Draco could be anything other than what his parents expect of him was gone in a matter of pages. He was lost... hopeless. His final page wrote of the possibility of getting back with Pansy Parkinson, which made Josie want to be sick. Draco wrote that he never actually liked her all that much. He acknowledged her looks and how his parents would be satisfied with her as a match for him, but his feelings towards her never went any further. He compared that to the feelings he had when he saw the girl, who Josie now realised was her.

He loved her.


	9. Prefect bathroom

Josie's quill hovered above her paper for the longest time. She had to reply to his letters, but she had no idea how. She saw him now, truly, for who he was. Before, he had told her that he was different, but she subconsciously felt like he could have just been telling her that to get her to say something about Harry. But reading years and years of mental anguish and torment at the idea of who he is supposed to be, and then seeing him pour his heart out, declaring his love for none other than Josie Potter herself, she saw him, really saw him for him. An incredibly troubled person, desperate for someone to see him for who he is.

Josie wondered if that could be her.

She placed the tip of her quill on the parchment and took it off again. She did this several times, before scribbling...

Can we meet?

… and placing it in the box on top of his journal which she had placed back at the bottom. She closed the lid and waited. She didn't know what for, or for how long she would have to wait. It would depend on when he opened the box next.

After her note hadn't moved for half an hour and the potions she had originally been looking for, not important, Josie ventured down into the common room to find it almost empty.

"Hey" said Ginny from a dark corner where she was cosied up with Dean.

"Oh, hi you two. I must say, you both look cute together" Josie said, earning herself an eye roll from Ginny and a huge grin from Dean. They had managed to keep their relationship together for months now and seemed happy. Josie wondered briefly I she could see herself enter into a similar kind of situation with Draco. She quickly brushed off the absurd idea.

"I'm going down for dinner, you coming?" Josie asked them.

Dean looked at Ginny with a rather odd expression that even Josie couldn't place, before they both declined. Josie shrugged and left, heading down the staircases towards the great hall.

She entered the hall, which was already full with students at various stages through their meal. She sat across from Harry and glanced up and down the table. Everyone was deep in conversation already, but in tones that were hushed, due to the silence rule that had been introduced by Umbridge most recently.

She took a few roast vegetables and some meat with gravy and began taking small bites. She hadn't been up to eating much lately and especially after the few hours she had just spent in her room, the thought of eating a whole plate of food make her almost ill.

She looked around the room, glancing at her sister Carina, who was talking animatedly with some other first year Slytherin girls. Josie's initial worry about her younger sister had died off almost as soon as the term began. Carina had always fit in with any situation, finding friends with ease and settling in to the status quo. Although, Carina being who she was, was never satisfied with the status quo and made sure people around her knew it.

Lyra had also made other friends, and was whispering with a first year boy who was sitting beside her at the Gryffindor table. Josie had never expected the two to separate so easily, but here they were. Josie felt quite proud and vowed to write to her mum as soon as she could.

As she looked back over to the slytherin table, she took the opportunity to glance at Draco, who seemed to be staring off into space, lost in his thoughts. Her gaze was held longer than she had anticipated as she watched him, clearly full of thoughts, stare into a nearby floating candle. She noticed how his hair hung a little lower than it did when she saw him last. It was still slicked back, but a section of it hung over his ear on one side. She noticed the angles of his face had sharpened, as if overnight and his features no longer resembled the rounded pre pubescent face of Malfoy of the past, but he seemed to appear to be almost someone completely different.

She watched as he was distracted from his thought by Crabbe, who was sitting beside him, elbowing him and showing him something in a magazine he was holding. Draco simply nodded and looked down at his plate.

As Draco went to place a forkful of potato in his mouth, he looked up, briefly glancing in her direction and for the slightest second, the pair made eye contact. The moment, while brief, felt like an eternity and was enough to throw Josie completely. Something in her expression must have given her away completely and made him aware that she now knew everything. During this eternity, Josie's calm collected nature in regards to Draco, shifted completely, and she found herself thinking of how his hand might feel in hers, how it might feel to run her fingers through his hair. How it might feel to kiss him. She wondered if his pink lips were as soft as they looked and if he was a good kisser. All of these thoughts came to Josie's mind in that brief second where the two made eye contact.

As soon as Josie managed to tear herself away from him, she looked down at her plate and didn't dare look back up. She felt heat rise in her face and as she felt panic rise, it brought with it a fresh panic. Panic's best friend is more panic.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, something that had been working for her recently. She blew the breath out into her lap, counting to ten and repeating it once more. She heard the sounds of footsteps over by the Slytherin table and hoped that he wasn't coming to her. He recognised the signs, it was obvious from the train that he knew. And she had told him in their letters over Christmas how people can expect to remedy them. As the steps dissipated and she realised the person wasn't walking towards her, she regained her composure and looked around. It interested her to see that no one had even noticed her.

Harry was deep in conversation with Ron and Neville and Hermione was discussing something with Lavender Brown who was wrapped tightly around Ron's arm. Ginny was still absent, with Dean and Seamus and Hazel were playing footsies under the table while pretending to talk with Des.

It was then that Josie realised that perhaps, she might have room in her life for something after all.

She hurriedly finished her food and left the table after a brief conversation with Harry and Neville. Des still looked at her as though he longed for her and it made her cringe. She would have to speak with him about it at some point, but today was no the day.

She almost ran to her dormitory, basically crashing into Ginny and Dean on her way out.

"Whoa, wheres the fire?" Ginny asked.

"What? What fire?" Josie asked.

"You're practically sprinting. Whats going on?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, well, you know, exams are this week and I have so much study to get through" Josie said.

"You have been up there all afternoon. When do you have time for fun?" Dean asked.

Josie simply shrugged and continued on her way to her dorm while the other two exited the common room.

She sat on her bed and pulled the box out of her trunk, opening it to reveal it empty.

This told her that Draco had seen her note. It made her heart race, not with anxiety, but with excitement. She had asked him to meet and he would probably be naming a time and place.

She closed the lid of the box and tapped her foot against her ankle, waiting.

She would risk detention to sneak out and see him. If only just to sort out this whole mess. She ran through several scenarios in her head, some involved an empty classroom and long discussions into the night and some involved snogging behind a tapestry.

Every now and then she opened the box to check if he had responded, and on the forth time, there was a small piece of parchment sitting alone at the bottom of the box. She took it out and read the lone sentence.

_Will you meet me at the second floor prefect's bathroom at 8pm tonight?_

She read the note carefully and wondered why he would want to meet her in a bathroom. She shrugged it off and, using the same piece of parchment, wrote _yes_ and slipped it back in the box, closing the lid.

It was now 7pm, so she had an hour to mentally prepare herself and come up with something to say. She also realised that she had to now find a way to get out of the common room without being asked too many questions.

As she flicked through one of her text books, she tried to calm herself in preparation for this meeting. She paced the dorm and entered the bathroom, using her wand to re straighten her hair and applied a small amount of mascara. She didn't exactly need to make herself look any different for this meeting, but at the same time, she couldn't help feeling like she wanted to.

At 7:45, Josie picked up a text book and left the dormitories. She made it to the common room which was filled with Gryffindors in various states of stress about the exams.

Hermione was the most flustered, her hair more wild than ever. Harry was sitting in one of the squashy armchairs with an angry look on his face and when Josie followed his line of sight, it was aimed towards Ginny and Dean, who were locked in the middle of a snogging session that Josie thought would probably never end.

"Hey, Josie" came a voice, almost as she had reached the portrait hole.

When she turned around, she noticed Ron had caught sight of her.

"Oh, hi Ron" she said.

"Where are you off to?" he asked.

"Just the library. I have to confirm a fact in my book" she said, a story which was well rehearsed.

"Want me to come with you?" he asked.

"Uh, no, its ok" she said.

"Well, you know I'm a prefect, and curfew is in fifteen minutes" he said, reminding her, as if she needed it, that he was a prefect and could very well keep her from leaving.

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry Ron I'll be back" she said.

"Yeah well, don't lose any points for us" he said, turning back to the group he was sitting with.

"Ron, I..." she began, but stopped. He actually didn't need any kind of explanation. He was flaunting his stupid shiny little P badge and she knew it.

She pushed open the portrait and climbed through, leaving the noise of the common room behind.

She made her way through the castle, aiming for the library. She would at least make an appearance before going to the bathroom to meet Draco.

After fumbling around the library shelves for 5 or so minutes, Josie left the room, heading for the second floor bathroom. She was careful to hide behind a tapestry when she heard the sounds of prefects beginning their nightly rounds and ran up the stairs two at a time when the coast was clear.

Her heart was hammering in her chest as she approached the door to the bathroom and pushed it open. She wasn't sure what she expected, as she had never been in here before. Last year Harry had gone to one of the bathrooms to open his egg and said it was incredible, but when Josie entered, she gasped.

"Its really quite something, isn't it?" came the voice of Draco, causing Josie to almost jump out of her skin.

"Oh Merlin, you frightened me almost to death" she said, hand on her chest.

"Sorry, I really didn't mean to. You never really get over how incredible this place looks" he said.

"The windows are..." she began, but words eluded her. The stained glass windows were unlike any she had ever seen before. Josie grew up knowing she was a witch, she knew of magic and saw it daily, from the time she was born, but there were some types of magic that still fascinated her and made her in awe of what this world was capable of.

"I think its the combination of the moon on the lake and the charm that makes the windows shine like that... It really is something special" he said, not having moved from where he sat.

"Is that why you wanted to meet me here?" she asked.

"I thought this was the safest place. No one will think to check the place and if they do, I'm a prefect, I'm allowed to be here" he said.

"Yes of course you are, but what about me?" she asked.

"I don't have to open the door, just have to announce my presence if someone knocks" he said, shrugging. His casual demeanour was throwing the usually confident Josie somewhat. She had spent the last couple of hours thinking about him, but now she was right here in front of him, she had no idea what to say.

She wandered around the room, taking in the different features of the prefects luxurious bathing space. The bath itself was the size of a small swimming pool and dozens of spouts sat at one end, each with its own tap. There was a room off to one side, which Josie assumed was a toilet and a vast shower, which seemed more like something you'd see at a high end water park. The tiles were different shades of blue and green, giving the whole room an underwater vibe. There were comfy bench seats along the wall underneath the windows and a few armchairs in a corner.

At last, she took a seat on one of the chairs, not too close to Draco, but close enough so they could talk comfortably.

"So, you wanted to meet. Here we are" he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I, uh... I did. I mean, I do..." she began, fumbling over her words. She took a breath and mentally chastised herself for feeling like a silly child and regained her composure.

"Something happened at dinner" he said suddenly.

"It did?" she asked.

"With you, I mean" he said.

She thought back to dinner and wondered if it had only been an hour and a half ago. She remembered watching him and her mind running away with her. She remembered making eye contact with him and she remembered feeling her face blush. The rush of panic was not something she wanted to remember, but she did, nevertheless.

"Its complicated" she said, not looking at him.

"You were looking in my direction" he said. "Then you started to panic when I saw you. Why?" he continued.

"I'm not sure. If I knew, I could stop it from happening again" she said.

"But you managed to come around?" he asked.

"I've been having therapy" she said.

"Therapy?" he asked, uncertain of the muggle form of mental health assistance.

"Yes, its where you sit and talk about your problems with a stranger and they help you to come up with solutions" she said.

"So you're ok then?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just... I didn't expect to be staring off into space in your direction and have you catch me. Given everything that is going on right now, it made me panic" she said, truthfully.

"What exactly is going on?" he asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, feeling ever bit the almost two years younger than him.

"Not to me" he answered.

"Things are changing. I'm changing. I read all of you letters. And... And I read your journal" she said, feeling like she had done something wrong.

"I wanted you to. That's why I put it in there. I wanted you to see that I'm not messing with you" he said.

"I know. I get that. And I know now" she said.

"But...?" he asked.

"But. I don't know. The things I said on the platform after Christmas are still a factor here" she said.

"You're worried what everyone will think?" he asked.

"I'm petrified of what people will think" she said. "Aren't you?" she asked.

"Not really" he said.

"But you are. Think about it. If people find out you and me are... if they know there's something going on, they'll start asking questions. You will eventually have to tell them the truth. What about your parents? How will they react?" she asked.

"That's going a bit far, don't you think?" he asked.

"No, I don't think its too much to assume that if we dated publicly, your friends would tell their parents and their parents would tell your parents. Then people would be asking '_how did you seduce the innocent Potter girl' _and you'd have to tell them something" she said, wondering why he was smiling.

"Dated?" he asked, smiling still.

This caught her off guard. Isn't this where this was going? Had she come here assuming that they would negotiate some form of dating type situation? She now looked anywhere but at him, out of embarrassment, before realising that that is exactly what he wrote about in his journal. He _wanted_ to date her. It wasn't a silly assumption for her to have made.

"Don't play stupid with me. Is this not what we're here for?" she asked.

"If you insist" he said.

"If _you_ insist" she retorted.

He didn't respond, just smiled at her, a smile she hadn't seen on his face, ever. He seemed, _happy_, in this moment.

"I think... The main reason I wanted to meet you tonight was to apologise. I said some horrible things to you on the platform that day and I shouldn't have. Someone told me you've been snogging any girl that moves and it sort of made me think... well, I don't know what it made me think, but it got me to thinking about all the things that could and would go wrong if we had any kind of public friendship" she said.

"I don't just snog everything that moves. Yes, I've snogged a couple of girls, like I told you, but I'm not some kind of player who preys on girls and leaves them. I actually cared bout them at the time" he said.

"I don't doubt that" she said.

"Do you want names? I can tell you their names" he said.

"No, I think it'll be fine" she answered. "I don't even really care about that. I just.. for a moment, I thought, well I didn't want to be just somebodies conquest" she said.

At this, he stood from where he sat and moved to the long bench that sat right beside Josie's chair. It unnerved her to be this close to him, but calmed her just the same.

She looked to his face, the one she was captivated by earlier that night, and now noticed the subtle things about him. He had a very light spattering of freckles beneath his eyes, that were only visible up close. His eyes, were a very light shade of blue, but from a distance, they had always looked grey.

"You would never be anybodies conquest" he said with such conviction, it threw her.

She felt herself becoming more and more captivated by the way he looked at her. She could really see now, the depths of his feelings for her and it made her like him all the more. She could sit here and continue talking with him about how and why this is so wrong, or...

She leant closer to him, glancing down at his lips, which looked as soft as they had before. She placed her hand on the hand of his that was sitting on the edge of the bench seat as she looked from his lips to his eyes and back again. She closed her eyes as her other hand moved, almost of its own accord to the side of his face and she brought her lips to his. The kiss was soft, softer than she thought possible and seemed to halt time. Her heart was hammering in her chest and as his free hand moved to her hair, she felt as thought she might pass out with the speed her heart was beating.

The kiss itself was brief, only enough to spark something inside them both, but it meant something. As they parted, Josie knew that this was going to be the beginning of a huge problem for her. There was no escaping this. She was all in.


	10. Exams and Pomfrey

Josie raced up the stairs towards the portrait of the fat lady, listening to the footsteps behind her picking up speed. On approach, she said the password just loud enough to be allowed entry to the common room and quickly dived through, closing the door behind her. The sounds of the person's frustration were evident from behind the portrait and as she listened to the conversation going on on the other side, she realised she had been followed by Umbridge herself and the headmistress was about to gain access to the Gryffindor tower.

Josie ushered the stragglers to their beds as quickly as she could and was on the stairs to the girls dormitory as the fat lady gave in and allowed Umbridge entry. She quietly entered her dormitory, snuck into her bed and changed into her pyjamas. Within moments, Umbridge was at the door to the stairwell.

"Which Gryffindor was out of their common room tonight?" She demanded in her contempt filled voice.

"I was at the library after tea" Josie said.

"Then she was with me the rest of the night. All the Gryffindors were here" Ginny said.

"Its true. Each grade was studying in the common room in groups" came the voice of another forth year girl from her bed, as she cleared her bleary eyes. Hazel remained silent.

"Well, 50 points will be taken from Gryffindor for breaking the school rules. Groups are banned, if you would care to remember" Umbridge said, raising her nose high in the air. "And when I find out who it was that was out of bed..." she added, cut off by another voice.

"I would hope that you would refer the party to their head of house, which happens to be me, headmistress" came the voice of McGonagall behind her. "Now if you please, it is late and the students require sleep if they are to get on with their exam preparation. Now... as you are well aware, Delores, Common room study groups are perfectly acceptable, so I will be adding 50 points to Gryffindor for their excellent use of free time for independent coordinated study" she finished.

"As you wish, professor" Umbridge remarked, turning from the girls dorm and leaving via the stairs.

Josie received a glare from McGonagall, before she left without saying a word. Josie was certain that she'll be given a detention for being out past curfew, and she laid there, wondering how on earth McGonagall would have known.

"Where were you?" Ginny asked her, sitting on her bed.

"I, uh... Well, I was at the library and on my way back, I sat in the little alcove on the 4th floor on that little set behind the tapestry, you know, for some quiet. No one ever goes there. I was reading and I must have fallen asleep" she lied.

"Well you almost lost us points we don't even have" Ginny said. "Not sure how that would work actually" she said to herself.

"Well, I'm pretty tired" Josie said, hoping the girl would leave her.

"Something is going on, I can tell" Ginny said as she got up and went t her own bed.

"The only thing that's going on is exams are like, minutes away and we all need to get some sleep" Josie said with a sigh.

Josie closed her bed curtains with her wand and laid on her back staring at the ceiling. Having perfect recollection was something that Josie both loved and hated. It made her remember things that she had only read, seen or heard once, but it also made her continuously re-live events that had occurred. Her perfect memory replayed the night over and over in her mind and halted all chances of her getting any sleep.

The sounds of the three other girls sleeping came quickly as Josie remembered how Draco's lips felt on hers. How he look into her eyes and kissed her again more passionately. She recalled how they sat talking, taking turns to tell each other the things they had both been wanting to say to one another for months. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would find her soon, but she was thrust back into the memory of kissing Draco before they left the bathroom, neither of them eager to leave.

Eventually, when every second of the night had replayed in her mind and she had relived each moment again, Josie fell asleep.

* * *

Josie awoke the following morning with a smile on her face. She dressed in her casual weekend clothing and headed down the stairs for breakfast.

The great hall was quiet, which was no unusual for a Saturday. She sat and began helping herself to some breakfast and looked across the hall towards the Slytherin table. She noticed Draco looking back at her with a smile as large as her own had been all morning. She met his gaze for a brief moment and smiled back before settling in for her breakfast. She was quickly joined by the other Gryffindors who's conversation now centred around exam reparation.

"You do know that exams begin tomorrow, don't you Ron? I haven't stopped studying, but I wouldn't expect Josie to have to study much, would I Josie?" Hermione asked, bringing Josie from her thoughts.

"I do study, in case I missed something. But my memory is perfect, so its not possible for me to forget things" she said earning a jealous stare from Hermione.

"Well, we all cant be blessed with eidetic memory. Some of us have to work hard for our marks" Hermione said, attempting an offhand insult while turning to face Lavender beside her.

"Don't" Harry said quietly to Josie.

"Why not?" Josie asked.

"Because its not worth it. I heard what happened last night, you lost us 50 points" Harry said.

"What would you know?" she asked, now angry at her brother.

"Everyone's talking abut how Umbridge chased a 4th year into the common room and up to the dormitories last night after midnight. Everyone else was in the common room when I went up to bed at eleven" he said.

"Now now big brother, don't try being all protective and authoritarian. I was in the library. That's all" she said, trying her hardest not to glance over Harry's should to where she could see Draco looking in her direction.

"Now, unless anyone else has something they need to accuse me of or a casual insult they would like to throw my way, I'm going for a walk around the grounds for some fresh air" she announced, loud enough so the whole table, and perhaps the entire hall, could hear.

"Want me to come with?" asked Hazel, who was almost wrapped around Seamus.

"Uh, no, I think I'll manage. You seem... busy... anyway" Josie said, indicating to the couple who were now closer than ever.

As Josie left the great hall and exited the castle through the great oak doors into the sunshine, she felt her shoulders relax. Had she built up so much resentment towards her friends and her siblings, that the best place for her was outside alone? She pondered this for a while as she walked down the grass towards the lake. She had a place where she liked to go alone and think, and today she decided that she needed to do just that.

She sat for most of the morning, by herself, thinking about the things that would now change. She wanted nothing more than to continue whatever this was she had going on with Draco, but no desire to tell anybody just yet. It was too soon and the fall out from a revelation like that would be too huge for words. She knew she needed to rectify the friendships that she had neglected recently and realised that it would require effort and apologies on her part to make it work.

With her thoughts calm and her mid set, she got up from her place and headed to her dormitory.

Josie spent the rest of the weekend studying, with the occasional letter to Draco deposited into the box. She smoothed things over with Hermione and even agreed to quiz her on different subjects. As it turned out, Hermione knew everything she needed to know about everything. She studied hard and it paid off. Josie understood why Hermione would be frustrated at someone who needed little to no study with great reward and vowed to put in more effort to like the girl.

* * *

By Sunday night, the Gryffindor girls were happy and confident as they headed down to the great hall. They had declared study to be over and even Hermione said that whatever she didn't know now, no amount of study cramming would get it through her head.

Hazel had no desire to stress about exams and had done very little preparation. She wanted to become a make up artist, which was something no witch had ever aspired to. It had, until now, never been an option for a witches career and no professor quite new how to direct her future. Of course they all attempted to redirect her towards more suitable roles within the magical world, but Hazel never strayed from her desire to carry on with her passion.

Ginny's passion rested solely within the quidditch pitch and for good reason. She was quite skilled and while Harry had been on several temporary bans over the year, she had filled in as seeker, winning every game they played.

Josie remembered the conversation she had with Ginny one day about their career aspirations during the career day at school.

* * *

"_Of course, I want to play for the Holyhead Harpies, isn't that everyone's dream?" she asked, receiving a nod from Josie. "But then what? You cant play quidditch forever" she said. _

"_How about journalism? You could be a sports reporter?" Josie suggested. _

"_Writing about quidditch?" Ginny asked. _

"_Why not? By the time you retire, you'll know everyone on every team and probably be a well respected name in the industry. It makes complete sense" Josie said. _

"_Hmm, sports writer. Sounds like it could be a hit" Ginny said, running off to tell professor McGonagall._

* * *

Desmond had very little ideas about what he wanted to do with himself. He chose not to chase the Auror path like Harry and Ron wanted to, and had no affinity with herbology like Neville did. Des, it seemed, would purely drift along until he found his calling.

As for Josie herself she knew that her future lied within the ministry. She wanted to make change and strive for equality with the muggle world for witches and wizards. She wanted to modernise the wizarding world so that children wouldn't have to suffer through drafty winters at the castle and write on pieces of parchment with a quill and ink. She understood the limitations of electricity and magic, but that was no reason to exclude it all together and every other modern idea with it. She had already come up with ideas about where to begin, she just needed the right way in, to demonstrate it to the people who had the power to make change and it would be a no brainer. Of course, she understood that this would be a decades long process, where she would need to work her way to the top before anyone would believe she had something worthwhile to say. That's just how it was. She was content with a career in politics and law and had signed up for the appropriate classes for that career pathway.

At dinner, the group chatted animatedly about their futures and about what life after Hogwarts would look like for them. The Weasley twins had their heart set on opening up their own joke shop, and, despite most peoples misgivings, Josie felt that they might actually achieve their goal.

As Josie laughed at a joke that someone had said, she looked up and noticed Draco looking in her direction. Noticing that no one was looking at either of them, she indicated subtly with her head in the direction of the exit and he nodded.

She told the group that she was going to the bathroom and almost ran from the hall. She headed for the bathroom while another student was in the entrance hall, but as soon as they entered the great hall, she made her way to the room closet. Not the most romantic of places, but it did the job. Within seconds, Draco entered the small space and his smile lit up her night.

"Hey" she whispered.

"How has your weekend been?" he asked, placing his hands on her hips, stepping closer to her.

"Average, till now" she said, looking up into his face.

"I missed you" he said.

"Its been two days" she answered.

"Two days too long" he said, lifting her chin so he could lean down and kiss her.

She stood up on her toes, suddenly realising that she hadn't kissed him standing up yet and their height difference would be something to think about. But not now. Now, all she could think about was how amazing of a kisser he was. Even better than she remembered. She allowed herself to become lost in the moment, kissing him back eagerly, and running her fingers through his hair.

She was brought out of the moment, when she heard footsteps outside of the tiny room they occupied.

"I have to go" she said, not letting go of him.

"Me too" he said, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I'll see you tomorrow though, right?" she asked, hoping that there would come a time the next day where they could spend some time together.

"Absolutely" he said, kissing her once.

She turned to leave and opened the door just a fraction. The entrance hall was empty, so she snuck out and crept across the hall to the doors leading back to the great hall.

"Josie?" came the voice of Hazel.

"Haze, hey" Josie said.

"Where were you? I came looking for you" she asked, leaving the girls bathroom.

"Oh, I needed some air. Its getting warm in there" she said.

"Right. Well. I need to talk to you about something" she said.

"Ok, but can we do it later? I'm dying for dessert" she said.

"Dessert? Oh, yeah, sure" she said, seeming sad.

"Is everything ok?" Josie asked.

"Yeah, fine, I just... I'll chat to you about it later" she said.

As Josie opened the door for Hazel to enter the great hall, she noticed the door to the broom cupboard open and smiled as Draco crept out.

She knew that this relationship would be complicated, but she honestly had no idea how big this ride would be. And she liked it.

That night, when Josie was in her bed, Hazel came and sat at the end, closing the curtains with her wand.

"Haze, whats wrong? You haven't been yourself all night" Josie said.

"I'm late Jose" she said, sadly.

"Yeah, I know, but I can help you catch up" Josie said, assuming she was talking about study.

"No, Josie. Fuck. I think I might be pregnant" she whispered.

Josie almost choked on her own gasp.

"Are you sure? I mean, how late is late?" Josie asked.

"Like, two weeks. I don't know what to do, my mums going to kill me. Seamus has no idea, but he's not going to be happy either" she said, tears forming in the eyes of the girl who never cries and is always the toughest person in the group.

"Ok, alright. We can fix this" she said, thinking back to everything she's read about the reproductive system, about the average teenage cycle, about unprotected sex. "Wait, so you and Seamus have been having sex then?" she asked.

"Well, yeah" she said.

"I uh..." Josie said, but she was lost for words.

"Come on. Des told me about you and him. You were doing it in third year when you were thirteen" she said.

At this, Josie saw red.

"What?" she said, louder than she intended. "I mean, what the fuck did he tell you?" Josie asked.

"That you guys would go to the room of requirement and have sex all the time. Where do you think I got the idea from for the best place to go to be alone? Didn't think to tell your best friend about that or even teach me the contraceptive spell though, did you?" Hazel said.

"That's all bullshit Hazel. Des and I never... We didn't ever have sex. We kissed and did other things but never went that far" she said, feeling angry at someone who was supposed to be her friend.

"So you and Des didn't meet up there every night?" she asked.

"I think I'd remember if I did. Its me. I remember things" Josie said.

"I'm going to kill him" she said.

"Not before I do" she said. _Or before Draco does_ she thought.

"Well, congratulations, you still have your virginity. I don't. What the fuck do I do Jose?" she asked.

"I think you have to go to madame Pomfrey" Josie said.

"And what if I am... pregnant?" she asked.

"Then you're pregnant. And we deal with it. You're not alone in this Haze. I'm here for you" Josie said, giving her friend a hug.

That night, after Hazel went to bed, Josie lay awake thinking about the nerve of Desmond Longbottom to be telling people they had sex. It made her so mad and she knew she needed to seek revenge.

She got out of bed, and out on her dressing gown and slippers and left the dorm. It was late and all students were in their beds. She crept down the girls stairwell and up the boys, stopping every now and then to listen for footsteps. She was driven by pure rage and the thought of revenge.

She reached the forth year boys door and pushed it open slowly. She looked around the room, which was very similar to her own. The beds were a little closer together, which told her that the room was slightly smaller. She looked at the sleeping bodies and when she found Des, she crept over to him. Climbing onto his bed on her knees, she used her wand to pull the curtains closed and cast a sound spell so she wouldn't be heard. She knew he would probably be startled when he woke and she didn't want anyone to know.

She crawled up his body, over his legs and up his torso until her face was level with his and her body was flush against his. She ran a finger down his cheek and whispered in his ear.

"Des, wake up".

He opened his eyes and seemed to be lost for a moment.

"Jo... Josie, what... Whats going on?" he asked, bleary eyed.

"Des, isn't it obvious? We're about to have sex. Just like we used to" she said, placing her hand in the top of the blankets and making her way down his bare chest. It almost made her sick, but she needed him to know how angry she was.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not stopping her from continuing to move her hand south.

"Des, come on. We used to do this all the time, didn't we? The room of requirement. We'd go there every night to get it on" she said quietly, thumbing the waistband of his pyjama shorts. She could feel his growing erection pressing into her body and the sickening thought of it almost made her give up.

"No, we didn't" he said, confused.

"Come on, that's not what you told people, is it?" she asked.

"I was mad. I wanted them to think that we did. That what we had was more" he said.

"Well, now's your chance" she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"We're going to have sex, Des" she said, reaching her hand inside his pants.

"Uh... well, ok" he said.

At this, Josie removed her hand from inside his pants and blankets and sat back.

"Actually, we're not. We wont and we didn't. You better start telling people the truth, set the record straight or I'll tell people a whole _bunch_ of stories and this little interaction we had just here..." she indicated between her body and his, "... will be the closest you _ever_ get to sex, in your entire life. Do you understand me?" she asked.

Desmond just nodded and raised his knees as she crept out of his bed and left the boys dormitory.

* * *

The following few days flew by in a haze of exams and stress. No one had seen Josie sneak into the boys room, but somehow, Desmond had manged to tell everyone that she had, and that he woke up to her having sex with him. He told the entire school that he didn't bother to tell her to go away, he just let her go and when she was done, he rolled over and went to sleep. It had made Josie so mad to see her little plan backfire, but Hazel was hysterical. She assured Josie that the revenge would occur.

The two girls hadn't forgotten about their plans to go to Madame Pomfrey, they just wanted to wait till the exams were over before adding another thing to their pile of things to worry about. Josie aced all of her exams and even earned extra credit on the defence class by being able to correctly produce all the spells that they had been only learning the theory of.

At the end of the last exam, Josie walked Hazel to the hospital wing and waited with her while madame Pomfrey tended to the other people in the room. It was unusually busy for exam week and Josie couldn't help but wonder why.

"Those Weasley twins, setting off all these pranks before taking off. They left. Just gone" she said.

"Who, Fred and George?" Josie asked her.

"The very same. Set off fire crackers and a _swamp_ of all things..." she said as she bustled around.

"That must be what the commotion was while we were coming up here" Hazel said.

"Now, what can I do for you girls?" she asked them. "You don't look particularly sick" she said, looking both the girls up and down.

"I uh..." Hazel started.

"Can we go somewhere a little more private?" Josie asked, looking around at all the people in the beds nearby who were within earshot.

Madame Pomfrey looked to the girls and gave them a knowing smile ushering them to a small back room that was filled with pictures of women bodies, pictures of women's anatomy and charts with pictures of the moon and months on it.

"Which one?" she asked.

"I..." Hazel began, but the healer didn't need further information.

"How late?" she asked.

"About two weeks"

"Let me see" she took out a small round circle that had various moving parts to it. She shifted the circles around and placed it back down. "Stress can cause cycle irregularity and given that its exam time, it wouldn't be uncommon for..."

"Sex. Sex can also cause cycle irregularity and I've been having that too" Hazel said.

"Haze!" Josie said as she nudged her.

"What? I'm just being honest. Exams don't stress me out. That's not it" she said .

"Ok, I'll run the tests" the healer said with a sigh, pulling out her wand.

It took a long time, but with many frowns and 'um's and 'uh's, madame Pomfrey laid down her wand and sat down beside Hazel.

"It is what you said dear. You are about nine weeks along"

Hazel just laid on the small bed, in the small office, her school shirt still open at her belly and stared at the ceiling.

"Are you ok Haze?" Josie asked her.

There was a long period of silence before anyone spoke again.

"I cant. I... I cant have a baby. I just cant. There has to be an option. There has to be something" she began to blurt out. She looked at Madame Pomfrey, who hadn't left the room. "You need to help me. I know that muggles, they have ways to get rid of it. I want that. Whatever you have to do. I cant do this. I don't want this. I cant be a mum" she said, tears now falling from her eyes.

"Dear, does the father of the baby... Does he know?" she asked.

"What? No. Why would I tell him?" she asked.

"He may feel differently" she suggested.

"He's 15. He doesn't want a baby either. Besides, this is my body, it is my choice. He doesn't have a say" she said.

"Maybe your parents could...?" Pomfrey asked.

"No. No way" she said

"I will have to tell them" she said.

"You cant. If you do, I'll throw myself off the astronomy tower. I cant tell them. You cant. You're not allowed to anyway. Isn't that right Josie? You've surely read it somewhere?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know, I don't think so" she said, knowing full well that the healer wasn't allowed to tell Hazel's parent anything without her permission.

"I swear to Godric himself, if you don't get rid of this thing inside of me, I will throw myself off the tower. I cant do this. I wont" Hazel said, sitting up and buttoning up her shirt.

"There are... procedures..." the healer said, softly. "They're frowned upon and there would be documents to sign. I'd have to speak with you alone" she said.

"No way, Josie isn't leaving me" she said.

"Ok. Well, she can stay, but this will not be easy. And once its done, it can not be undone. There will come times when you will wonder 'what if' and times where you will regret it..." Pomfrey began.

"I don't care. Just do it. Give me the papers, I'll sign whatever" Hazel said.

Josie sat by her friends side, while the healer performed complex spells over her stomach. It took a long time and had to stop and start again and again each time a person came in who needed assistance. Josie never let go of Hazels hand and even when Ginny came looking for them in the main hospital wing, Josie and Hazel remained hidden in the small back room.

The castle was quiet when the procedure was finished. The food trolley had been brought around to the hospital and Josie took enough for both the girls. Hazel's tough exterior had crumbled long ago and the girl wept into her friends shoulder.

"You cant tell anybody, Josie. Please" she begged.

"I promise. This will stay between us" she said. "In fact, I will swap you one. A secret or a secret" she said.

"Now I'm intrigued" she said.

"I'm dating Draco Malfoy" she said, quickly covering her face with her hands.

"You're what?" Hazel demanded.

"Its a long story. But that's where I was the other night when I came in late. I was with him. That was the first time we actually met up I wish I had thought to use the room of requirement though. We met up in the prefect bathroom" she said.

"Oh I knew it. I knew you were seeing someone. I could see it in your eyes. Wait, the other morning in the entrance hall. When you looked like you'd just had sex in the bathroom...?" she asked.

"Broom closet" she said.

"Josie!" Hazel said.

"We weren't... I mean, we haven't... I want to wait till I'm ready. But the way things are going, I don't think it will be long" she said.

"Just, learn some contraception spells, will you?" she asked, placing her hand on her now empty stomach.

"Sure thing" she said, sitting back in the chair beside the bed.

**AN- If this chapter stirs up any issues for you, please speak with someone you trust. This chapter wasn't planned, but its a good fit, given that Australia has just removed "abortion before 22 weeks" from the criminal code. Women like Hazel deserve the right to make free choices about their bodies and be supported by their health professional and peers when doing so.**

**Also, i'm not a huge fan of what Josie did to Des, but fair play is fair play. **


	11. Home

**AN - Sorry for the delay. Please enjoy.**

* * *

Josie opened her eyes to the sound of commotion all around her.

Professor Dumbledore was rushing in through the doors with Harry in his arms, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Desmond, Ginny and a Ravenclaw member of their Defence group, Luna Lovegood, in tow.

It took a moment for Josie to register the events playing out in front of her, but she was on her feet before she realised, and at the side of the bed that Harry now lay in.

"Harry?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Professor, what happened?" she asked.

"Your brother has been incredibly brave tonight. He faced several death eaters, as well as Voldemort in the flesh" Dumbledore said.

"What do you mean? I don't understand. Voldemort? In the flesh? How?" she asked, her brain all a fog.

"If I am not mistaken, the blood that was drawn from Harry in the maze last year was used in a complex spell to bring Voldemort back to his body" Dumbledore said.

"So... Voldemort is back?" Josie asked, fear radiating through her body.

"Very much so" Dumbledore said.

"How did Harry even come into contact with Voldemort in the first place?" Josie asked, unable to fathom how her brother could have come into contact with the most evil wizard to have ever existed.

"Harry thought he saw... well, we're not too sure what Harry saw..." Hermione began.

"It appears, as though Harry has a connection with Voldemort's mind and has had false images planted in his head" Dumbledore said calmly.

"So, Harry believed that Sirius was in trouble. At the ministry of magic. We all tried to contact your parents Josie, but the only way was through Umbridge's fireplace. We broke in, but Harry didn't hear from them. We ended up getting caught by Umbridge and her ridiculous inquisitorial squad" Hermione continued. Josie squirmed, knowing Draco had to have been involved.

"It was brilliant, really, Hermione managed to convince the she-devil that we had a weapon in the forest. That we were fihting for Dumbledore and were going to overthrow her and the mnistry. Obviously she had to be shown..." Ron said, as madame Pomfrey bandaged up what looked like octopus stings all over his arm.

"Well, I showed her our large friend who is in the forest. She was horrified. Then the centaurs showed up and when she started yelling abuse at them, they didn't take kindly to her and... well, they sort of carried her away" Hermione said.

"Then, long story short, Crabbe and Goyle ate puking pasties, we flew to London, broke into the ministry of magic, got into the department of mysteries and ended up fighting off a dozen death eaters who were trying to get hold of some prophesy" Ginny said.

"Prophesy?" Josie asked.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." came the whimsical voice of Luna.

"What... what does that mean?" Josie asked.

"It means... either I kill him, or he kills me... in the end" Harry said, startling everyone who was there.

"Harry... are you ok?" Josie asked, sitting on the bed beside her brother.

"I'm ok. Where were you?" he asked.

"I was here. Hazel, she wasn't well. I was here with her" she said.

"Hazel?" Desmond asked, looking around and spotting his sister sleeping in a bed at the other end of the room and moving to be by her bedside.

"She'll be ok, she just needed some potion and some rest" Josie said, to the group.

"We couldn't find you. I thought that maybe someone had you too" Harry said.

"I've been here with Hazel the whole time. Since the last exam" she said.

"I looked for you here Josie. Neither of you were here" Ginny said.

"As you know, the hospital wing was very crowded yesterday. The girls were in a room at the back" Madame Pomfrey spoke up, seeming to have been invisibly tending to the group of teenagers.

"Well now we have established the whereabouts of everyone, how about we all get some rest? I for one would like to retire to my room with a large pot of brandy and some lemon drops while I send fifty owls" Dumbledore said.

"The minister showed up just as Voldemort fled. There is no question that this will be in the prophet by the morning" Hermione said as Dumbledore left the hospital.

"Most of the death eaters that were there have been taken in by the Aurors" Harry said.

"How many were there?" she asked.

"The Lestranges" Neville said.

"The ones who tried to torture your parents years ago?" Josie asked.

"The very same. That Bellatrix, she's insane" he said.

"Crabbe, Dolohov, Macnair" Ron said.

"I heard them say Nott, Travers and Augustus" Ginny said.

"Avery and Mulciber were there" Hermione said.

"Werent some of these people in Azkaban?" Josie asked.

"There was a mass break out. Honestly, where has your head been?" Hermione asked.

"Preparing for exams? Looking after my friend maybe?" she said, with a glare towards Hermione.

"Lucius Malfoy was there" Harry said.

At this, Josie sat up, immediately realising that the consequences of this would extend far beyond just their group. Draco was more than likely asleep in his bed with no idea that his father was now in a cell in Azkaban prison. She desperately wanted to go to him but knew that it was impossible.

"So... you fought all of them off...on your own? Which ones were captured?" Josie asked.

"Well, some aurors turned up" Ron said.

"And most of them were captured" Ginny said.

"All except Bellatrix and Voldemort himself" Harry said.

"The aurors... Our parents?" Josie asked.

"Yes, mum and dad were there" Harry said.

"How are you not grounded?" Josie asked.

"More like, how is it that no one died?" Hermione asked.

"Well, yes, that too" Josie said.

"There were fighting to kill" Neville said.

"We got lucky" Harry said.

"No, I really think the defence lessons you were giving helped us Harry" Hermione said.

"I wasn't giving anybody lessons. We learnt that stuff together" he said.

The group sat around going over every aspect of the night, till they were made to leave by Madam Pomfrey, which happened to coincide with breakfast.

* * *

The group, still in their dirty casual clothes, except for Josie, made their way down to the great hall. Josie's mind was occupied by thoughts of Draco and wondered if he knew yet.

When she sat down at the Gryffindor table, she glanced up and saw him looking in her direction. The expression on his face was difficult to decipher, but she was almost certain that he wasn't aware of his father's arrest.

As Josie helped herself to some pancakes, Draco inclined his head towards the exit of the great hall and Josie nodded slightly in his direction. Wolfing down her breakfast, she got up and mentioned something about "the bathroom" to her friends and family, before leaving the hall, glancing in Draco's direction.

She made her way to the closet and as she was about to enter, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"How about we go somewhere else?" Draco suggested.

"Somewhere else? Like where?" she asked, wondering where on earth the pair of them could go that would keep them hidden.

"Everyone is busy talking about what happened after the exams, they'll be in the hall for hours. Lets go down to the lake or something" he said.

"That actually sounds really good" she said, knowing that if she were about to tell him that his father was in azkaban, then some nice scenery would be handy.

They snuck out the front doors and made their way, unseen, down to the edge of the lake. Josie thought about how simple this was, how right it felt, just to take a walk with him along the lake.

"Where were you last night?" he asked.

"Hazel wasn't well. I spent the night with her in the hospital" she said.

At this, he wrapped his arms around her slender frame.

"I was so worried" he said, resting his chin on the top of her head of straight black hair.

"You don't need to be. I can take care of myself" she said, looking up into his face.

He leant down and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Draco... there's something you need to know" she said, stopping the kiss before she allowed herself to get carried away.

"I need to tell you some things too. You're not going to like them" he said.

Suddenly caught up in what this could possibly be, she urged him to go first.

"So, you know that I'm part of that stupid squad, right?"

"How could I forget... Were you caught up in it all yesterday?" she asked.

"Well, that's what I wanted to tell you. I had to pretend. I tried really hard to go easy on them, but Umbridge was pushing us to use unforgivable curses on them" he said, running a hand through his hair.

"You didn't?" she asked, stepping back.

"No, of course not. But... I made it look like I was really into it. So I don't know if you've already heard, but I probably came off as a real prat. Like, huge prat" he said.

"Its OK, I get it. You're still trying to figure out how to navigate your way through this shit. You didn't hurt anyone?" Josie asked.

"Of course not. Its not who I am. I wouldn't intentionally hurt anybody, let alone your friends and family. In fact, I've gone out of my way to be extra nice to your sister, the one in Slytherin" he said.

"I've noticed" she said, as she stood on her toes and kissed him. "So, I guess everyone thinks you were Umbridge's number one supporter, so this has just become one hundred times more complex"she said.

He simply nodded, before wrapping his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Josie hadn't felt this way before, so safe and secure in the arms of someone. She wanted nothing more than to stand here, under the shade of this tree by the edge of the lake, forgetting how much her choice of who to care for wouldn't be supported by anybody in her circle of friends and family. She relaxed into his arms, closing her eyes, pretending that this was all some normal teen romance, but the truth had to come out and she had to tell it. She knew it would ruin everythiyng.

"Ok, now its my turn. I really need to tell you something, and I think it need to come from me" she said,

"It sounds serious" he said.

"It is" she said.

Draco led her to an exposed tree root where the pair sat down.

"Last night, Harry and the group were lured to the ministry of magic" she said.

"By who?" he asked.

"Voldemort" she said.

"You-know-who? What do you mean?" he asked.

"Voldemort is back. Last year when they took some of Harry's blood, it was used in a spell to bring him back. He was there last night, along with some of his... acquaintances" Josie said.

"Its fine, you can say death eaters" he said with a strange smile.

"Ok, well, there were death eaters there" she said, rolling her eyes.

"You think my father was there?" he asked after a short pause.

"Draco, he _was_ there" she said.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"Aurors showed up too... and there was a fight, well, several fights... they arrested most of the... the... death eaters" she said.

"My father?" he asked.

"He was taken to Azkaban" she said, picking at the grass so she didn't have to look at him and see the hurt in his face.

"So, Voldemort is back and my father got captured and sent to Azkaban. Excellent" he said, standing up and pacing around.

"I know its not something you wanted to hear" she said, finally looking up at him as he paced back and forth.

"Not something I want to hear? Its the worst thing I could be hearing right now. You have no idea what this could mean for my family" he said, beginning to walk back to the castle.

"Where are you going?" she asked

I need to see if I've been sent any mail. My mother would be absolutely distraught" he said.

"What can I do?" she asked.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I'll talk to you later" he said, running back to the great hall.

Josie stood there confused and lost. She thought that she was doing the right thing by telling him, but for some reason, he had taken it out on her, running off, leaving her behind.

* * *

Josie sat by Hazel's bedside, filling her in on what had happened.

"So my own stupidity prevented us from being involved in all the excitement?" she said.

"Excitement? Only if you think its exciting facing twelve adult death eaters and seeing Voldemort up close and personal" Josie said, irritated at the girl's naievity.

"Better than sitting here all night and all day wondering if I will actually hear from my boyfriend" Hazel said.

"He hasn't come to see you?" Josie asked.

"Nope" she said.

"Well, to be fair, he has no idea that this is half his fault" Josie said.

"It doesn't matter. He's all 'I love you' and 'I need you' when he wants something, then times like this, when I actually need him, he's no where" she said.

"Well, I don't know if Draco and I are still a thing" Josie said.

"Ohh right, I forgot" she said.

"Well, I told him about his father's involvement in the ministry and he just took off. Told me that I have no idea what it could mean for his family and left me standing beside the lake on my own. Pretty sure he's gone home early" Josie said.

"So what are you going to do?" Hazel asked.

"Dunno. I'll probably write to him, ask if he's ok. See if he wants anything to do with me" she said. "How about you?" she asked.

"I think... I'll probably break it off with him. I've had loads of time to think about it while I've been stuck in here" she said.

"How are you feeling anyway?" Josie asked.

"I feel fine. I mean, my stomach aches, but other than that I'm fine" she said.

"How about mentally?" Josie asked.

"Oh, you know me. I'm not one to cry over spilt milk" she said.

"This is a little more than spilt milk Hazel..." she began. "You had a baby growing inside you" she whispered.

"I know that Josie, but I'm grateful... Grateful that I don't have to be a teenage mother, all because my boyfriend didn't care to learn some basic spells" Hazel said.

"You're allowed to be upset Hazel. Even a month, a year or ten years down the track. I'm here for you" Josie said.

"I'll keep that in mind" she said, swinging her legs so she could get out of bed. "Now get me out of here before I go stir crazy" she said.

"I thought madame Pomfrey wanted to keep you in another day till the train leaves?" Josie asked.

"I'm not spending my last day trapped in a bed. I'll manage. Besides, I'm not missing the end of year feast" she said.

* * *

The following day, the students had packed their things into their trunks and queued for the carriages to take them to the train. Josie hadn't heard from Draco at all, but didn't lose hope that he would write to her. She spent the night before departure in the library, perfecting a shrinking spell so she could shrink the box Draco had given her down to an appropriate size to fit into her handbag.

She had written to him, expressing how sorry she was that his family was trapped in the middle of this. As she wrote it though, she thought about how she wasn't actually sorry. Lucius Malfoy had actually been incredibly lucky not to have been sent to Azkaban years ago. With the diary, then his attempt to kill Harry when he set Dobby free, and now this, Josie wondered why on earth she was feeling sorry for him. He brought this upon himself. She only really felt for Draco and the fact that he was brought up in a family that is ok with attempted murder on small children.

She didn't expect to hear back from him. The train home was quiet. Everyone was in deep thought about what it might mean to have Voldemort back in the flesh again. Josie knew that only bad things could come from this and got a sense that life wouldn't be the same again.

Half way through the train ride, Seamus came to find Hazel.

He peered around the door frame of the compartment, eyeing Hazel.

"Babe, are you coming?" he asked.

"Don't think so" she said, not looking at him. Josie new that as soon as she did, it would break her. She'd been all over the place with her emotions. One moment, completely happy that she didn't have the pressure of having to give birth at age 15, but sudden;y realising that she had created a life with a boy who only cred about getting off and he had no idea.

"I think you should leave" Josie said to Seamus.

"Leave? Yeah, I'll leave with my girlfriend. Come on Haze" he said.

"I'm not your girlfriend anymore" she said, illiciting 'ooh's and 'what's from the compartment.

"What do you mean? Of course you are" he said.

"No, sorry. I should have told you. Its over" Hazel said.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Tell me Seamus..." Hazel said, standing up, anger radiating off her slender frame. "Where was I the night of the exams?" she asked.

"You were off with your family, at the ministry" he said, sounding sure of himself.

"Nope" she said.

"Of course you were. The whole lot of you were" he said.

"No, I wasn't. I was in the hospital wing. The whole night. But you didn't care to notice, or bother to ask, did you? You haven't even spoken to me since before the exams. All you care about is putting in enough effort so I'll shag you, then once you're done, you don't speak to me. I'm not one o those girls, Seamus" she said.

"Could have fooled me. You've been into it" he said, with a sadistic smile.

At this, Josie stood and slapped him across the face, with Desmond right behind her. Josie's hands were on his shoulders, pushing him back, out of the compartment and into the hall.

"You stay away from her, do you hear me? If you come near Hazel again, I'll make sure you never have the opportunity to put another girl through what you have put Hazel through" Josie sad.

"You're crazy" he said, turning and leaving the train carriage.

When Josie turned, she almost ran into Desmond.

"Don't you start with me" she said, feeling the electricity running through her fingers.

"You're scary sometimes" he said.

"You haven't _seen_ scary yet, Desmond" she said, anger radiating through her very pores.

"What you did... that wasn't fair" he said.

"And telling everyone that we shagged in the room of requirement... that was what, Desmond?" she said, now gathering an audience in the corridor.

"That was the truth" he said.

"You're a liar" she said, feeling sparks now emiating form the ends of her fingertips. She had left her wand on her seat in the compartment, but somehow, her magic was coursing through her hands and sparking form her fingers. "I was thirteen when we dated. There was no way I was going to have sex with you. You're lying about that and you're lying about the other night" she said.

"You came into my room, climbed onto my bed and fucked me while I was half asleep" he said. "If anyone should be angry, its me. You raped me" he said, with a smug smile.

At this, Josie reached up to push him, but the magic coursing through her body and the sparks in her fingers, resulted in Desmond flying from the end of the carriage where they argued, to the complete opposite end.

"I didn't fucking touch you. You're a liar" she screamed at him down the carriage as he looked around, realising what had happened. "Admit it. Admit it Desmond! I didn't touch you" she yelled.

At this, Harry appeared behind his sister and pulled her back into the compartment.

"He isn't worth it Jose. Come on. We all know the truth" he said as he pulled her away from the audience in the corridor.

"I didn't fucking touch him" she said, angrily.

"I'll go sort him out" Hazel said as she left the compartment.

"How to guys think that its ok to spread lies about girls all round the school?" Josie said through angry tears.

"Don't worry Jose, none of us actually think you did anything with him Ginny said.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't matter, does it" she said.

The atmosphere throughout the remainder of the train ride was tense. Desmond didn't come back. Hazel returned and told the group that he was a prick and he would apologise as soon as he could feel his face again.

Josie spent the time writing in her journal, attempting to figure how how she managed to produce wandless magic at the same time as trying desperately not to think abut what Draco was doing at that very moment. He had in fact gone home early and she shuddered to think what it meant for him.

When they arrived at Kings Cross Station, Josie flew into her mothers arms and hugged her tightly.

Harry, flanked by their younger twin sisters, enveloped the family in a group hug, not caring how it looked to those passing by.

They left the station, desperate to put the year behind them and focus on what was expected to be a very precarious future. No one knew what to expect. No one could foresee how much their lives would change in the coming year.

* * *

**AN- Updates will be sproatic, as i am about to begin a new position at work that requires more of my energy. The life of a social worker hey. This is my way to escape the things i deal with on a day to day basis, so i will at least be updating once a week, hopefully. Please review. It makes it difficult to see the stats telling me i have people viewing but no reviews. Sort of makes me want to end this, but i have to take it where i wanted it to go, so please, don't lose hope. Review, comment, ****criticise****. I'll take it. I need to know that you're all on my team with this. That its not crazy. **

**xxklxx**


	12. New school year

**AN- If anybody is still with me at this point, thank you. Sorry for the delay. Its been a rough couple of weeks with my husband rushed to hospital due to a burst abdominal abscess and then me starting a new job. Everything happens at once it seems. Anyhoo, he's ok now and my job is going well so far. **

**Enjoy, and please review. **

* * *

Josie sat by her bedroom window and sighed into the summer night. It was over four weeks since she left Hogwarts and she was yet to hear from Draco.

Her parents has spent much of the holidays on what they called 'missions' for Dumbledore and could be heard whispering into the night.

After many whispers of their own, Harry and Josie quickly figured out that Dumbeldore had re-instigated the Order of the Phoenix, a special task force that had once been an elite group of witches and wizards on a mission to take down Voldemort.

The group first formulated during the height of Voldemort's previous reign, when he took down their father. Now that he was back, it seemed fitting that the Order was up and running again.

This particular night, Josie sat in her bay window, staring out to the night, wondering if she would hear from Draco. She had written to him twice since returning from school. The first time was to apologise for the way she revealed the news to him and the way she reacted to his outburst. The second letter was to verify her feelings for him. She hadn't planned on letting this get in the way of their relationship and hoped that he felt the same.

The longer she sat, the more she thought that he might not even return to school. She hoped she was wrong.

Josie was thinking about writing a third letter, when she heard a knock at her bedroom door.

"Josie?" came the voice of her mum, Lily.

"I'm awake" she said.

"What are you thinking about?" Lily asked, sitting on the seat beside Josie.

"Oh, nothing much" Josie said.

"Its getting tough, isn't it?" Lily asked.

"It's always been tough, mum, we're just noticing it more now" Josie said, offering her mum a small smile.

"I've just been on a mission with Dumbledore. We needed to get a teacher to come back to Hogwarts" Lily said.

"Did he agree?" Josie asked.

"With some persuasion" Lily said.

"What do you need me to do?" Josie asked, sensing a request.

"How do you know I was going to ask something of you?" Lily said.

"You don't tell us anything about what you're doing unless you need out help" Josie said.

"Perceptive" Lily said.

"Irritated" Josie retorted, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I just feel that you kids don't need to be too heavily involved in all of this. Not unless you really need to" Lily said.

"Look at what's happened so far. We're involved whether we like it or not" Josie said, trying to hold back her anger at being treated like a child. "What is it you want?" Josie asked after her mother remained quiet.

"I want you to get on Professor Slughorn's good side. He'll invite you to his Slug-club. Go to it. Go to the dinners and the parties" Lily said, after a long pause.

"Why?" Josie asked.

"It will all become clearer as time progresses. I don't really know much myself, but all I know is that its vital to the cause" Lily said.

"The cause? All you talk about is the cause. I'm smart, I can be part of this too" Josie said.

"You're very smart sweet heart, but still a child" Lily said.

"I produced wandless magic" Josie said.

"What? When?" Lily asked, shock registering all over her face.

"On the train, coming home from school. I was angry. It sort of, sparked out of my fingers" Josie said.

"I... I haven't heard of that happening" Lily said. "I'm sure it was just a reflex" she added.

"I made Desmond fly through the train" Josie said, attempting an offhand manner.

"Desmond? Longbottom?" Lily asked.

"He told everyone... well... he has been spreading lies about me. I had to set the record straight" Josie said. "I didn't mean to hurt him. I went to push him, get him away from me. And it was like... like electricity. It sort of came out of my fingers" Josie said.

"Just... try and restrain yourself, will you?" Lily said, looking concerned, as she stood to leave the room.

"So, you just want me to impress this professor and go to some dinners?" Josie asked.

"Is that unmanageable?" Lily asked.

"For a child?" she asked with a smirk. "No. I can do that" she said, turning her head to look out her window again.

* * *

Lily climbed into bed that night beside her husband.

"They'll do it" she said.

"Both of them?" Sirius asked.

"Yes" she said.

"Good. I think that's good" he replied.

"Josie produced wandless magic on her own" Lily said after a long silence.

"Wandless? What kind?" he asked, intrigued.

"She made Desmond Longbottom fly though the train. She said that sparks came out of her fingers and it just happened" Lily said.

"Do you think..." he started.

"No. Its not. Definitely not. She's fine" Lily said.

"They said she could be powerful. Not only were you supposed to die, but she most definitely should have. You were pregnant" Sirius said.

"I know that. I just... I cant bring myself to think abut how things might have turned out if I hadn't survived" she said.

"You survived. We all did. Josie is fine" he said.

"And what if shes not? You know Dumbeldore's theories?" Lily said.

"I know. The reason Josie is so intelligent the reason she has so much power. Dumbledore thinks something happened to her that night, before she was even born. I know what he says but I think its ridiculous" Sirius said. "The one we should worry about is Harry. He's seeing Voldemorts actions and his thoughts. He needs to learn to shut it out. This connection, its not healthy" Sirius said.

"I know. Merlin in know. But who can teach him Occulmency in the short amount of time that we have?" Lily asked.

"There's only one person who we know who can do it perfectly" Sirius said.

"No way, Harry does not get along with Severus enough to trust him with this" Lily said.

"He might be the only chance we have" Sirius said.

"I don't like it" Lily said.

* * *

In the week that followed, Severus Snape visited the Potter/Black family home and worked endless hours with Harry, in attempts to teach Harry the fine art of blocking his mind to external penetration.

It appeared to be mostly a waste of time. Harry couldn't concentrate and Snape couldn't withhold his hatred for James long enough to consider that Harry wasn't his father, he was simply a boy who needed assistance.

"Its no use. He knows the methods, he just isn't trying" Snape said to Lily one night after a particularly lengthy session.

"He is trying Sev, I assure you. He doesn't want that monster inside his head anymore than we want him there. You need to help" Lily begged.

"I'll continue the classes during the school term and see if he can at least block some of the invasion" Severus said, turning to leave via the back yard apparation point.

As he exited the back door, he came across Josie, seated on the back step.

"Miss Potter" he said.

"Professor?" she answered.

"You'll do better to stay away from mister Malfoy this term. No good can come of it" he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

"I'm aware that you and Draco became close at the end of last term" he said.

"That's not... I..." she stammered.

"Pay attention. I will only say this to you once. Do not involve yourself with him. For your mothers sake. He wont be good for you" he said, before reaching the safe point.

"I don't need your advice" she said.

"Take it. Please" he said, eyes pleading with her, his face displaying an emotion she had never seen on the normally stern potions professor. Fear? Their eye contact lingered for a brief moment before he walked to the place in the yard where the ward was not active, before turning on the spot and disapparating with a pop.

* * *

Josie returned to her room and pulled out her quill, ink and parchment. She thought that a more formal approach to letter writing would be more satisfactory . Previously, she had used a pen and paper, and received no reply.

_Draco,  
I know we hadn't been seeing each other very long before everything turned upside down, but I don't want it to end like this. I've been warned to stay away from you by someone who seems to know about us. I don't know how they found out, but they told me that anything between us would be a bad idea.  
I want you to know that that isn't my intention. I want to stick by you. Please, return my letters Draco.  
Josie._

She folded the letter and placed it in to the un-shrunken box that stood by her night stand. She knew he had received the other letters because they weren't in the box anymore.

Unless, she thought, someone else had retrieved them. She sat looking at the closed box for several moments and quickly opened it to see her piece of parchment still there.

Give it time, she told herself, before crawling into bed and closing her eyes.

The morning dawned, the day before their return to Hogwarts. Josie had packed everything except the box.

It had become a habit of hers to open it each morning. On this occasion, she opened the box and found a piece of parchment, different to the one she had left in there. She carefully unfolded it.

_Josie,  
Whoever gave you that information was correct. You shouldn't be near me. I have something I have to do. I don't want to, Merlin I don't. I have no choice. Its too late now anyway, I'm a marked man. If you know whats best, you need to stay right away from me. I care about you too much to drag you into this.  
Draco._

Josie read and re-read the parchment many many times. Each time she read it, it ceased to make sense. All year he had been writing to her, asking for her to understand him. To accept him. To know him. And now that she did, not that she genuinely cared for him, he was pushing her away. She took out another piece of parchment and wrote a hasty reply.

_Draco  
I'm sorry, I do not accept your advice. If I believe that you're not right for me, I'll stay away. Until then, I expect to continue as we have been. I'll meet you on the train tomorrow.  
Josie._

She placed the parchment in the box and closed the lid. She would not accept this lying down.

* * *

Lily stood by, watching as the train departed platform 9 and three quarters. Her children were, once again off to Hogwarts. She had no idea whether or not they were safe there any longer, but she had no choice. The mission she had to accomplish with her husband wouldn't leave her much time to be home.

She left the station, arm in arm with Sirius, ready to take on the mission that Dumbledore had set for them.

The mission would be dangerous, but if they could pull off their part, things would be different. Very different.

Over the coming weeks, Lily and Sirius attended a number of locations that they were given by Dumbledore. The locations varied from a small village, to an old orphanage, that had long been bulldozed and turned into a shopping mall.

None of these locations offered any trace of magic. Over the years, Lily had become adept at identifying where magic had been present. Sure, these places all revealed small amounts of magical energy, however, the amount they were told to be looking for would be alarmingly obvious once they found it.

Lily had unwavering trust in Dumbledore. She had no idea what it was that she was looking for or why, but she new that when she found traces of magic, she had found the place.

When the discovery occurred, it happened by complete accident. Lily and Sirius were spending a weekend at Sirius's family home in an attempt to clean it up for the Order's residence. It wasn't much, but it could be useful.

The house was dim, dusty and full of dark objects, so Lily didn't think much of it when she came across dark magical energies when she moved things around.

Lily was helping Sirius in his brother's room, when she came across a locket, engraved with the Slytherin symbol. Initially it seemed to be an ordinary locket, but upon further inspection, she noticed that the traces of magic on it were incredibly dark.

"Siri... Take a look at this" she said, handing him the locket.

"That's..." he began.

"The locket of Salazar Slytherin" she said.

"Wonder how my brother ended up with it" Sirius said .

"I'm wondering why its putting out so much dark energy" Lily responded.

"Probably because its been siting around all this other dark stuff forever. Come on, we'll keep going" Sirius said, attempting to pass the locket off to the junk pile.

"I think i should show Dumbledore. Get his take on it" she said.

"If you wish, my love" Sirius said.

"It wont hurt. Besides, this is the exact thing I've been looking for. It has to be something" she said.

* * *

Josie sat in Charms class, beside Ginny, twirling her wand in her fingers. She knew these spells, had perfected these charms and felt like she was absolutely wasting her time. She watched the clock and counted the seconds till the end of class.

Today would be the day that things would be different. She knew, somehow, that she would get what she wanted this day.

As soon as professor Flitwick dismissed the class, Josie was on her feet and running out the door, through the corridors of the castle to the seventh floor. She knew the timetable well. They had been back at school for weeks now and she was yet to come face to face with him.

She stood near the tapestry that depicted Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to do ballet, and waited. She knew he would come. He was here at this time each Tuesday.

Josie's life currently revolved around studying in the library, learning spells and content in advance or her classes and making feeble attempts at coming face to face with the boy she thought was her boyfriend. Josie was losing it. She was going boy crazy and all in the name of Draco Malfoy. She scoffed as she waited and thought about how absurd this all would have seemed to her a year ago.

She tried to hide it at first. When a note was sent back to her the day on the train, she didn't allow it to be true. She wouldn't accept the words he was telling her nor would she take it lying down. Josie demanded answers and, as eager as he was during the school year before, she was equally as eager.

The communications box has been shrunk to the size of a small purse. She had placed an undetectable extension charm on it so that if Draco, by chance, had placed something in there that was big enough for his box, but not for hers, she could still retrieve it.

She reached into her pocket and removed the piece of parchment that had been folded and unfolded many times since the train. Despite her perfect memory, she read and re-read it often.

_Josie,  
This is my last correspondence. I am no longer the same person you saw at the end of the last school term. My life is going to be very complicated and its best if you're not involved. There are things I have to do, things I don't want to do, but I have no choice. Its up to me now. This is who I am. I can not hide from my destiny any longer. I'm sorry.  
Draco_

Josie folded the parchment up, placed it back into the small satchel that now permanently lived around her body and stood against the wall, hoping she'd get the opportunity to come face to face with him this day. She had followed him to his classes, she had chased him at lunch time. She had approached him at the library, but he had managed to avoid her at every turn. For _weeks_. She had come to realise, with the help of the Marauders map that she had now come into possession of, that Draco had to have been using the Room of Requirement. His name would often be completely left off the map, leaving no explanation, other than he was hiding out in the ROR.

She had run over countless options of why or what he could be doing in there, till she ran out of ideas. It was incredibly frustrating for her, because there had rarely been moments in her life when things didn't make sense.

As she pondered this and more, she heard footsteps approach from behind her. She spun around and came face to face with Draco at last.

"Draco..." she said softly.

He tried not to look in her direction, but failed, as they made the briefest eye contact. Josie was stunned. His face was somehow paler than usual, his features all shrunken in. His eyes were red and bloodshot and his frame had become more slender. She hadn't seen him this close up in months and it was horrifying to her.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"None of your concern, Potter. Now leave" he spat.

Josie was taken aback at his treatment towards her. Just months ago, he was declaring in pen, his love for her. Now it was back to calling her Potter and demanding she leave.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded, forcefully, tears pricking her eyes.

"I told you. I've changed. I'm not interested in high school crushes any more. I have far more important things to be concerned with" he said.

"I don't believe you" she said quietly.

"Well, believe it. Its the truth" he said, looking over his shoulder. "Now go away. If you know whats good for you, you'll stop this" he said, almost begging. She saw the tears form in his eyes and she thought just for a moment that the thing he wanted to say, was completely the opposite of what he was saying.

"I..." she began, but paused when two second year girls came around the corner carrying cauldrons. Draco turned to look at the girls ever so briefly, before turning back to face Josie.

"Mind your business, Potter" Draco spat as he turned and skulked away the way he came.

Josie was left completely stunned. His attitude and shift in demeanour had thrown her completely. Just months ago, he wanted nothing more than to be with her. To meet up with her and have a romance with her. She now felt like, she had given in to his ideas, accepted his arrangement, told herself that she was ok to be someone's secret girlfriend, only to have it pulled out from underneath her.

The next few weeks were agonising for Josie. She sat with her back to the Slytherin table as often as she could. She secluded herself from almost everyone. She begrudgingly allowed Professor Slughorn to 'collect' her for his little club, along with Harry and Hermione. She attended parties and smiled at the right times. She dazzled the ageing professor with her knowledge on certain subjects and captivated the group of students with how accurate her memory was.

It had seemed, until now, that no one had ever thought too much about Josie's intelligence. Fellow students and even most professors had always thought she was just clever. For Josie, it was far more than that. She was intelligent, clever, had perfect memory recall, but there was something else, deep within her, that made her different to everyone else. She would never tell anybody, but she knew she was destined for more. There had never been any research on anything or anyone like Josie. After all, how many unborn babies survive the killing curse? She should never had existed, the same as her mother, the same as Harry. And most definitely, Lyra and Carina.

* * *

**AN - Next chapter underway, hopefully will be up in the next day or so xx**


	13. Requirement

It had been three weeks since the incident outside the room of requirement. Josie was sitting at the Gryffindor table, not facing away from the Slythern table this time. She was sure to regret it. She engaged in some mundane conversation with Ginny and Hermione about a book that Harry had come into contact with for potions.

"I just think its dangerous" Hermione was saying.

"And I respectfully disagree, Hermione" Harry said.

"Josie, please, back me up here. A book that has spells listed in the margins, that no one has ever heard of. A book that is helping Harry to cheat" she said.

"I'm not cheating. Its... There are notes in the margins. Its not my fault that they're there and they're accurate" he said.

"You used the notes to win the contest for Felix Felicis. Now you're going to use that potion to do Merlin knows what" she said.

"Are you jealous, Hermione? That Harry's getting better grades than you?" Josie asked, out of no where.

"Jealous? No way. I'm following the textbook _and_ the professors instructions properly. If that means I'm not able to complete some things perfectly, then so be it" she said.

Josie was about to continue with the discussion when she looked up and noticed Draco, looking in her direction. He seemed much worse than before. She wanted nothing more than to reach out to him, to stroke his face, put her arms around him and tell him everything would be ok. She had no idea what was bothering him so, but whatever it was, it was sucking the every life out of him.

She rose quickly from her seat, angry brushing tears from her eyes, unseen by the Gryffindors and headed to the entrance hall. She ran directly for the brook cupboard where, only months ago, she had kissed him. Josie took a piece of parchment from her small satchel as well as a self inking quill and wrote a hasty note to Draco.

_Draco,  
I don't care what it is, please, let me help.  
Josie_

She stuffed the parchment into the shrunken purse shaped box that she had retrieved from the satchel, which, obviously contained an undetectable extension charm also, and closed it. She had no way of knowing how or when he would see it, but she was desperately hoping that he would.

She made her way back to the breakfast table and sat, not caring for the conversation that was still going about a stupid book. She picked at what was left of her breakfast and sipped her pumpkin juice. Draco was still seated at the Slytherin table, his head down now, focused on his meal. She sat staring at him wondering how he, a child, a student, could be involved in something so drastic that it was affecting him, physically.

The conversation continued around her, but she tuned it out. It was like background noise to the thoughts running rampage through her mind.

Logically, she knew that she would be better off taking the advice of Snape, taking what Draco has said to her for what it was and backing off. She could have simply shut it down, walked away, forgotten all about it. But... Josie Potter had come to realise that despite all of her abnormalities, her intelligence, her memory, her wandless magic, that she was still just a teenager with teenage desires, teenage impulses and teenage hormones.

As she considered this, she noticed Draco look up in her direction. She felt herself being drawn to him and as much as she wanted to try, she couldn't bear to look away. She maintained eye contact with him for as long as she could before he slightly shook his head, stood and left the great hall.

"I have to go" she said to no one in particular, heading out the door after Draco. In this moment, she couldn't care less who followed her or who who saw her following him. She'd shout from the astronomy tower that she was in love with him if she had to.

The culmination of weeks of heartache and rejection was at the forefront of her mind and she had decided that she would put a stop to it, today, once and for all.

She ran out of the great hall, ignoring calls from Filch demanding she slow down and sprinted through the entrance hall. She flew up the stairs, towards he boy with the blonde hair and slowed to a walk as she saw him ahead.

"Draco" she called, as he was near enough to her her call.

He didn't turn, instead, sped up, heading up the stairs in the direction of the room of requirement.

"I'm not giving up. Wait!" she called.

"Why?" he asked, suddenly stopping and turning around.

"What do you mean why?" she asked.

"Why don't you just give up?" he asked, looking... was he afraid?

"You didn't" she said.

"I... This is different" he said.

"How?" she asked.

"It... it doesn't matter. Just.. stop, please" he was almost begging.

"Not until you tell me why. Why, Draco? Why should I leave you alone when you persisted with me for months?" she asked.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Clearly an exasperated motion. He looked around the corridor they were standing in and took her by the hand.

"Come with me" he said, pulling her through the deserted corridor.

She pulled her hand away, but followed.

After silently making their way through several stairwells and many corridors, they came to the corridor that contained the entrance to the room of requirement. Josie stood by as Draco walked past the place where the door would appear with his head down. It felt like forever and her heart was racing the whole time. She felt like a silly girl, throwing herself at him in this way, but she couldn't think of another way to make him see that she wanted to be there for him. Whatever this was, surely it couldn't be as bad as he was making it out to be.

When the door appeared, he glanced in her direction and motioned for her to follow. Her feet led her through the door and into a place she didn't recognise.

Once the door shut behind the pair, Josie strained her eyes to see. She was standing in a room the size of a large cathedral, whose high windows lit up what looked like a city with towering walls. The walls, it appeared, were built with objects that seemed to be haphazardly placed by, she had no idea who. There were alley ways where objects had been pushed out of the way and teetering piles of broken and damaged furniture stood like buildings, ready to collapse. Josie took a few steps and saw that there were books, Weasley products, mountains of forbidden objects and bottles upon bottles of abandoned potions, hats jewels and cloaks strewn all around. It appeared as though there were broken dragon eggs, many different varieties of weapons and what appeared to be a bloody axe that stood against a bookshelf.

"Its a place where things are hidden" Draco said silently.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, still captivated by the amount of strange objects that surrounded her.

"You want to know why" he said simply, walking away down one of the alleyways.

Josie followed, not sure of what she was walking into. She wanted to know, she was desperate to understand, but there was part of her that was worried what was to come.

Draco stopped at a cupboard and stood to face Josie. She stopped walking when he did and watched him, waiting for him to give her some answers. Anything.

"This is it" he said, gesturing to the cabinet.

"What?" she asked, looking around.

"This is why you cant be with me" he said.

"You're not making sense" she said.

Draco sighed and turned from her, removing his cloak. He took off his jumper and unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt. Josie just watched, confused as he seemed to be removing his clothing.

Draco looked to Josie, his eyes glassy as he began to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them and looking her in the eyes. She was about to ask what was going on when, under his sleeve, he revealed what looked to be a tattoo. When he had rolled his sleeve up all the way, Josie gasped.

"Draco" she whispered, moving to get a closer look at the mark.

"Does it make sense now?" he asked, tears in his eyes. He looked broken. Like he had been broken and then branded against his will.

"No" she said, still shocked.

"I'm marked. I told you. I'm a death eater. I have a mission to accomplish and you cant be any part of it" he said.

"This isn't you. You didn't do this willingly. I know you" she said.

"No you don't!" he yelled suddenly, causing a stack of empty bottles to fall off a nearby pile and Josie to jump.

Josie took him by the hand and placed her other hand on top of the Dark Mark that tarnished his ivory skin.

"I don't care about this. I understand" she said.

"How could you?" he asked.

"You would never have done this willingly. You've been coerced or blackmailed. Threatened even. Draco, you're good. You don't want this" she said, almost begging him for it to be true.

"I had no choice. I had to agree. I had to change. You don't know how evil he is Josie" he said.

"You saw him?" she asked.

"He lives in my house!" he cried out.

"Oh Draco..." she said, throwing her arms around him and pulling him towards her.

After what felt like the briefest moment in Draco's arms, he pulled away, holding her at arms length.

"There's more" he said.

"Your mission?" she asked. He nodded in response and turned to face the cabinet. "The vanishing cabinet?" she asked.

"Its part of a pair" he said plainly.

"It has a twin?" she asked.

"In Borgin and Burkes" he said.

"Oh" she said, suddenly realising what this meant.

"But its broken" he said quickly.

"And you have to repair it? That's your mission?" she asked.

"There's still more" he said.

Josie just raised an eyebrow and nodded for him to continue.

"I have to do something. I... You're going to hate me" he said, turning away from her.

"I wont, I promise. Draco, I love you" she said, grabbing him by the shoulder and turning him to face her.

His face met hers and their lips connected, as though it were an instant need. As though not kissing each other, would mean certain death.

When they eventually parted, Draco rested his forehead on Josie's and whispered, "I have to kill Dumbledore", with tears rolling down his cheeks.

* * *

Josie laid in her bed that night with her journal in her hand, thinking about everything that happened that day. In the space of a day, she had reconnected with Draco, found out why he pulled away from her and had a life changing decision to make. She couldn't be half in and half out with this. If she wanted to be with Draco she had to take on his burdens as her own. If she loved him, and really loved him, she would help him with his mission and he would succeed. She would be one to help kill the headmaster, on the wishes of the maniac who killed her father and almost ended her life before she was even born.

On the other hand, if he chose to walk away now, which Draco had informed her, was perfectly acceptable, despite his declaration of love for her, then she could go back to her life and forget this ever happened. Forget about Draco, forget about how absolutely defeated he looked and how she saw the hint of a smile when their lips parted.

Could she make this decision at the age of 14? What would her life look like, a year from now? Two years? She cringed at the thought. She had no idea what she would tell Draco the following day at their planned meeting.

She loved him. He loved her. She also love her family and couldn't fathom the idea of being involved in the murder of the headmaster. She felt physically ill at the idea of being associated with Voldemort and was terrified that if she decided to be with Draco, that it meant she would become a death eater too and when all of this was over, it would mean a life sentence for her in Azkaban.

She closed her eyes, after having written all her thoughts, weighed up the pros and cons and created scenarios and alternate universes in her journal. She knew what she had to do. Her path was clear.

* * *

Christmas came and went, and Josie was not looking forward to the impending doom that was Valentine's day. She had never had much interest in the tradition, but now, more than ever it only elicited feelings of dread within her.

Josie sat at the Gryffindor table, as she did each Sunday with her housemates. She made small talk about what Ginny should wear on a date with her boyfriend, Dean and chatted with Hazel about her latest hair colour choice. This week, it was bright green.

Josie had tried hard to stay closely connected with her friends, despite sometimes feeling like they had nothing in common anymore. The last few months, Josie had been on auto pilot, acting so much within a routine, that interactions with her friends was just another thing to tick off her to do list. Ginny was so wrapped up in her relationship with Dean, to the point where Josie became worried she may get herself into a similar situation as Hazel, and Hazel was now buying fashion magazines via owl post and changing her hair colour weekly. Josie, however, was simply just trying to stay afloat.

Classes were beginning to build and the professors were continually emphasising the fact that exams were approaching. Parchment after parchment of homework was thrown at the students, who were now cramming for their OWLs. Josie spent a lot of time in the library when she wasn't occupied with other things.

On this particular day, Josie declined an offer to accompany her friends to Hogsmead and instead, left the Great Hall and headed directly for the library. There was a specific book she was looking for and she wanted to spend a good amount of time among the shelves to find it. By late-morning, she left the dusty library, her bag much heavier than it was when she arrived.

She made her way to the seventh floor, where she walked backwards and forwards past what appeared to be an empty wall, three times. The door to the room of requirement appeared and allowed Josie to enter.

She was desperate to curl up on the comfy couch that she loved so much so she could get stuck into this book that it had taken her weeks to track down and made her way through the now familiar pathways to find it.

Her footsteps echoed off the high ceiling and somewhere beyond the towers of odds and ends, she could hear a bird making a feeble attempt to exit through a small window. When she reached the right place, she put her heavy bag of books down on the floor, removed her cloak and jumper and sat on the couch that had shown up in the days after she came here for the first time.

"Any progress?" she asked.

"The apple comes back now, but not in one piece" Draco said, moving to sit beside her.

"I finally got my hands on a book in the restricted section that might help" she said, reaching down into her bag to retrieve the dusty book.

"How did you manage to get into the restricted section?" he asked, moving her sleek black hair to the side, kissing her on the cheek and running a trail of kissed down her jaw line before moving to her neck.

"I'm the favourite. The smartest witch since... well, ever. It has its perks" she said with a smile.

"Who did you ask?" he asked, pausing his onslaught of kisses for a brief moment.

"I wanted to research some more in depth defence" she said. "Snape was accommodating" she added.

"Snape? To you?" he asked sitting up now.

"Of course" she said.

"He knows" Draco said.

"About what?" she asked.

"All of this" he said.

"I know. He's warned me away probably a hundred times. But still..." she said with a shrug and a cheesy grin.

"He gave you permission to get a book that would help you help me" he said, putting his arms around her and pulling her close to him.

"He is your godfather, Draco. He doesn't want to see you fail" Josie said, her tone serious now.

"The alternative isn't much nicer" he said sadly.

Josie didn't respond, she just looked to him to continue. She was completely well aware of what the options were. Kill or be killed. She wasn't interested in either, but after the first time he brought her to this room, she made a decision that she would do whatever it took to keep Draco alive, and if that meant repairing some stupid cabinet so someone else could do the dirty work then that's what she would do.

"It's a good thing I have you then, isn't it?" he said.

"Yes, it is" she said, as she leant back towards the arm of the couch and pulled Draco towards her.

The pair lay on the couch, Josie pinned beneath Draco's weight, momentarily forgetting the failing mission they had jointly undertaken. Draco was kissing Josie in the way that made her mind go blank. And for Josie, that was amazing. She reached down and pulled at the hem of Draco's sweater, pulling it up over his head. He pulled away just enough to remove it before returning his lips to her collarbone.

His hands, now experts in many areas of Josie's body made their way down to where her blouse sat at her waist. His favourite place to tease her sensitive skin. He continued kissing her, while she revelled in it. She felt worshipped when he touched her and kissed her in this way.

As far as boundaries were concerned, Josie laid out some rules early on in their relationship. It wasn't that she didn't trust him. In fact, she learnt early on that she could trust him inexplicably. It was her who she couldn't trust. She knew that when things started heating up that she often lost all sense of who she was and how far she was willing to go and would be likely to end up letting things go further than she would want. So the underwear rule was put into place and had so far, worked for them. It simply meant that there would be no touching beneath their underwear. Something which Josie appreciated and hated at the same time.

Draco's kisses had moved to where her top buttons of her blouse had been undone. One hand had moved from her hip to her stomach, beneath her shirt and was venturing close to the underside of her breast. She was breathing heavily, silently begging him to forgo the underwear rule, which had included her bra.

"I think the rule needs to be modified" she said in between kisses.

"Rule?" he asked.

"The underwear rule" she said.

It caused him to stop in his tracks.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I think it's a little unfair that my underwear covers a larger area than yours does. So I've been thinking of an idea" she said, while he watched her in amusement.

"Go ahead" he said with a grin.

"Well, maintain the underwear rule, in this general area..." she indicated to the lower portions of their bodies... "but as for the rest, well, I think that's free territory" she said.

"You think so?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. Don't you agree?" she asked, confused by his odd response.

"Not that I think it's necessary, but I'd like to remind you about the conversation we once had about modifying the rules" he said.

"I know, no modification of the rules in the heat of the moment" she said.

"Hey, I didn't make the rules, I just follow them" he said.

"And you follow them so well" she said, kissing him.

"And, as per the rules, you can't change them in the heat of the moment" he said.

Josie thought for a moment, internally cursing herself for being so clever. This was not a heat of the moment rule change, she had in fact been considering it for some time. It had just not ever been the time to bring it up. She suddenly smiled, as she thought of a solution.

"Ok, I give in. No touching beneath underwear rule remains" she said, reaching down to her bag and taking her wand out.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She pointed it at her chest and mumbled the banishment spell, banishing her bra to her bag.

"No underwear, no rule" she said, pulling him back down with her as she lay back on the couch.

"You're completely unrelenting" he mumbled into her neck, as he continued trailing kisses along her jaw line.

She reached for his hand and replaced it where it had been moments ago, beneath her blouse while she brought his lips to hers. He was hesitant at first, but soon, his hand moved up further, towards the soft flesh of her breast.

The only down side to having a space to themselves, where they could not be disturbed was that when things started heating up, there was no time frame, no interruption, no signal for them to stop. It took all of Josie's will power about an hour later to put a halt to the sensations that were coursing through her body and get back to work on the cabinet.

Draco, of course, felt quite the same. He remained seated on the couch and skimmed through the book that Josie had retrieved from the library, looking for a solution to the halt in cabinet reparations. Josie made no effort to mention the fact that he kept his crotch covered.

* * *

Josie crept out of the room of requirement late that afternoon, having made no advancements with the cabinet, but a slight advancement in her relationship. She headed downstairs for supper and joined the crowd of people entering the great hall. She caught up with Hazel and walked side by side to their table.

"Where have you been all day?" Hazel asked.

"Studying" she said with a shrug as she saw Draco walk to the Slytherin table from the corner of her eye.

"All day?" she asked with a grin.

"Yes. Apart from bathroom breaks" she said.

"Well, you should probably do up those buttons, hide that hickey" Hazel said indicating to the top of Josie's blouse.

"Shit" she said, hastily buttoning her shirt to the top.

"Who's the guy?" Hazel asked.

"No one. No one important" Josie said as she took her place at the Gryffindor table.

"Where have you been?" Harry demanded from across the table where he sat beside Ron and Neville.

"I've been studying" she said.

"I went looking for you. You weren't in the library this afternoon. Where were you?" he asked.

"None of your business" she said, reaching for a potato. "Since when did you become my keeper?" she asked.

"Since the world isn't safe Josie" he spat.

"Oh Harry, open your eyes. The world has never been safe. There's always some kind of danger lurking around the next corner. We can't keep hiding from it. And I won't just be wherever you want me to be, just in case you need to find me" she said.

"After what happened last year, you need to be somewhere where I can find you. Always" he said.

"So what? So you can drag me along to your stupid missions and put me in more danger like you did with your friends?" she asked.

Harry opened his mouth and closed it again.

"No. Definitely not. I want to know where to find you so I can make sure you're safe. I would never let you come with me to something like that. Ever" Harry said.

"Why? Because I'm a girl?" she asked, while people began looking on.

"No. If you'll remember, Ginny and Luna came too" he said.

"So, just because I'm your sister then?" she asked.

"Yes. That's exactly why" Harry said.

"Well, stop worrying about me. I'm perfectly capable to take care of myself. Inside of Hogwarts and out" she said, removing herself from the spot at the table and re-joining a few spaces down.

Josie was seething and ate quickly so she didn't have to see her brother out of the corner of her eye. She wanted to be happy and _feel _happy and having her "chosen one" brother remind her of all the horrific things in the world at every turn didn't correlate with happiness.

* * *

The week went by agonisingly slowly. The book that Josie had been reading had so far proved to be unhelpful and the task was still incomplete.

Friday morning dawned with a new anxiety provoking thought; Valentines day.

Josie was head over heels in love, like a crazy person, with Draco and keeping it a secret was the hardest thing she has done. She wanted nothing more than to shout from the top of the tallest tower that she was dating Draco and that they were in love, but there were so many other factors involved now that for anybody to know, would put everybody in danger.

This hidden relationship placed a whole other list of problems on the table. People thought that Josie and Draco for that matter, was single. That left her open to invitations and date requests that she had, so far, been able to avoid.

At breakfast, Josie watched as the Hogwarts owl delivered the anonymous card to Draco. She had made an effort to make it in shades of green and silver so that it would throw off any suggestion of anybody outside of Slytherin. The problem was, Draco was quite the bachelor and as it turned out, he received about a dozen cards that morning.

Draco checked the writing on the envelopes of all the cards, shuffling through his stack before he appeared to have found the one that Josie sent. While the rest of the hall was occupied with their own letters, Draco looked up and raised an eyebrow n Josie's direction. She answered with a slight nod and smiled down into her breakfast as he tore into the envelope.

"What are you so happy about?" Ginny asked as she sat down beside Josie.

"Me? No, nothing. Good breakfast today" she lied.

"Dean's meeting me down by the lake this afternoon for a picnic" she said.

"That's sweet Gin" Josie said.

"Almost too sweet, if you get what I mean" she said.

"Not sure that I do" Josie said.

"He's just sometimes… too considerate" Ginny said.

"Ginny, I don't think that's a bad thing. At all" she said, watching as more owls entered the hall.

"Well, I just like to open doors for myself and get onto my broom for myself sometimes. You know?" she said, as some owls flew in their direction.

A large brown barn owl landed in front of Josie, while a speckled one stuck its leg out for Ginny. The girls rewarded the birds with some bacon before they hooted appreciatively and flew to the windows.

"You got heaps" Josie said to the red haired girl who was handling a stack of envelopes.

"You haven't done too bad yourself" Ginny said, indicating to Josie's pile of envelopes.

"Well, I dot really plan on opening them" she said.

"At all?"

"Well, maybe one or two" Josie said as she shuffled through the pile looking for the familiar slanted writing.

She looked up towards the other end of the room and caught the eye of Draco, who was shrugging off the attention of the younger Greengrass sister on one side and Pansy Parkinson, who has been increasingly irritating to Josie lately, on the other.

She opened the envelope carefully and read the message inside. It was short and sweet and just Draco.

_Josie – There are not enough words in the English language to describe how I feel about you. I love you so deeply, so completely undeniably that I would give my life for you to have just one more day. I love you for so many reasons, but most of all, not for who you are, but for who I am when I am with you. You make me want to be the person I am destined to be, regardless of the path I travel. If I tell you every day how much I adore you, it will never be enough. Yours now and always. _

A tear escaped and rolled down Josie's cheek before she hastily wiped it away. She had fallen far more than she ever thought possible for Draco and it was clear he felt the same abut her. There was no going back. There was no way out. She was in, one hundred percent. Draco was now her life.

* * *

**AN - Apologies for the delay in getting this story going. Full time work, a sick hubby and 3 crazy kids is creating a bit of a time vortex where fan fiction sadly comes last. **

**I hope this chapter makes sense. I'm tired, its a Wednesday and i need sleep. **

**PLEASE REVIEW! This story is sitting on ZERO reviews and its very sad! **


	14. poison

**Enjoy. And please review. **

**xxklxx**

* * *

For two weeks, the relationship between Josie and Draco was perfect. Josie pulled Draco into closets between classes and Draco stole kisses behind tapestries. The pair had made no progress on the cabinet, which was causing Draco great angst, but they were more than adequately distracted by each other. Despite this, he was desperate to fulfil his mission and had begun to throw around crazy ideas. All of which Josie shot down, time and time again, with a reminder for him to '_focus'._

Josie hated the idea of Draco having to kill Dumbledore, but if it meant Draco could live and his family would survive then she guessed that the old man had lived a long enough life. Josie was simply desperate to go to whatever lengths necessary to avoid the old man's death at Draco's hand, instead, insisting on waiting till the cabinet is repaired and allowing someone else to do the dirty work.

Josie was in the Gryffindor common room late one night, studying for potions, when Harry and a drunk looking Ron came bundling down the stairs from the dormitories.

"I'm going to meet her" Ron said.

"Meet who?" Josie asked.

"Romilda. Harry's going to introduce me" he said.

"I thought you were…." Josie began, about to question whether or not Ron was still involved with Lavender Brown. She hadn't exactly been keeping track of the social lives of her fellow Gryffindors, but it wasn't exactly something that was being kept hidden.

"He is… very eager to see Romilda… That's why were going now. On Ron's birthday" Harry said, not really looking at his sister. You could mistake them for some people who sort of looked similar but rarely interacted, as opposed to siblings who were once so close they finished each others sentences.

Josie just waved as they left through the portrait hole pushing past Lavender, who after a brief discussion, was clearly offended.

"What the hell was that all about?" she asked Josie.

"I have no idea. I think they've been drinking" Josie said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well I don't see what Romilda Vane has to do with…" she began.

"Look Lav, I see that you're in some kind of relationship hole here, and I really wish I could be sympathetic, but I have homework to do" Josie said, trying not to get engaged in some lame conversation.

Lavender just glared at Josie before storming off up to the dormitories.

Josie settled back in, her quil to the parchment and scratched out the rest of her essay. By the time she had finished, edited and proof read her work, the fire was smouldering in the grate and the room was empty. It was past 2am and she was surprised that Harry and Ron hadn't returned yet.

She piled up the pages of parchment that she had accumulated, and trudged up the stairs to her dorm. Ginny was asleep and Hazel was up reading a muggle fashion magazine that had been smuggled in.

"About time, I've been waiting for you to get in for hours" Hazel said.

"Waiting? Why?" she asked.

"You've been up to something" Hazel said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I've been watching you lately" she said, causing Josie to panic internally. She kept a cool exterior, however.

"Watching me?" she asked.

"Yep. You've been sneaking off, going missing for hours at a time. You've been coming back with hickeys and bruised lips" Hazel said.

"Wow Haze, way to be a complete stalker" Josie said, feigning disinterest.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"He who?" Josie asked.

"The boy who you're infatuated with" Hazel said.

"There is no boy" Josie said.

"Girl then?" she asked.

"There is not anybody" Josie said.

"Don't lie to me. We don't do that. Not after everything" Hazel said.

Josie thought for a minute and agreed. She shouldn't lie to Hazel, not when Hazel had shared something so personal with her the year before.

"Fine. There is a boy" she said.

"I knew it. Who?" she asked, putting the magazine down and sitting forward in her bed.

"Nobody worth mentioning" Josie said.

"Clearly he is if you're being marked by him and sneaking off to see him every 2 minutes" she said. Josie sighed and resigned herself to the fact that she would probably have to tell Hazel as much as necessary to placate her.

"Alrigjht alright, just don't tell anyone, will you?" she asked.

"I swear" she said.

"He's in another house"

"Ohhh, inter house romance. I like it. Go on"

"He's a great kisser, definitely knows what he's doing. Not too pushy, but not scared either" Josie said.

"So no sex then?" she asked.

"No, no sex" Josie said.

"Good. That's probably good" she said. "I'd have a baby by now I reckon" Hazel added.

"You're right. You probably would" Josie said.

"It would have been a boy for sure" she said.

"Are you still ok with your choice?" Josie asked.

"I'll probably never be ok with it to be fair. Always wonder what would have been. Always wonder if Seamus would have actually wanted the kid or if we could have stayed together" she said.

"He loved you, I think" Josie said.

"He reckons he did. I'm not too sure. He said a lot of things. Didn't really follow through though, did he?" Hazel said.

"No, I guess he didn't" Josie said.

"Just be careful. Have fun obviously, but just be careful" Hazel said.

"I am. I promise" she said.

"You're not going to tell me who it is though are you?" Hazel asked.

"Nope" Josie said.

"Hmm, didn't think so" Hazel said.

"Night"

"Night Jose"

* * *

The next day, word around the castle was that Ron had been poisoned.

After breakfast, once the commotion had settled down and Josie had heard seven different versions of what happened, she left the great hall and headed to the seventh floor where she had hoped to see Draco.

It was something Draco had said just a week earlier that was causing her concern, that passing on some poisoned mead would be an effective way to kill Dumbledore without having to act himself. Without holding the smoking wand that killed the headmaster. Of course, Josie had shut that down immediately, as it relied on too many other players for it to be successful.

She ran through the pathways to the cabinet where they had set up a nice work station and found it to be empty. She wasn't expecting him to be there, but she had hoped he would be. It would be easier if he were. She would question him and he would respond and it would be dealt with quickly. Now, though, Josie sat on the couch, glaring at the cabinet as though it were responsible for all of her problems.

She stood quickly, ignoring the pounding in her head and moved towards the cabinet, rolling her sleeves up. She spent the next two hours working on the cabinet, with no success, before she heard a noise at the entrance to the room.

"About time, where have you been?" she asked when he finally approached.

"Busy" he muttered, and sat down on the couch.

"What happened last night?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked her, his thought seeming to be anywhere but there.

"You know what I mean. Ron was poisoned with a bottle of mead from Slughorn's room" she said, turning her back to the cabinet.

"So?" he said.

"So? He could have died Draco" she said.

"Yeah? And then what? The whole school would mourn the poor Weasley family who have too many children as it is!" he spat.

Josie just stood staring at him, her mouth gaping open. Words were lost and all Josie had in this moment were thoughts.

Thoughts about how she could be seeing this person in front of her as someone so different in these last 60 seconds. Thoughts of wonder at how he could be so cruel and heartless.

"Was it you?" she asked.

"Me what?" he asked.

"Don't play stupid with me, Draco, was… it… you?" she asked, enunciating each word slowly and pausing in between.

"I didn't give the idiot anything" Draco said.

When Josie rolled her eyes, Draco shouted, "I gave it to Slughorn thinking he'd give it to Dumbledore!".

At this, Josie reached down for her bag, picked it up and headed for the exit.

"By the way, I worked out what's stopping the next part of the repairing spell. Come find me when you're ready to stop being an ass and start actually doing something" she called as she neared the door.

She stormed off to the Gryffindor common room and almost crashed into Harry as he was leaving.

"Harry… How's Ron doing?" she asked.

"Better" he said.

"So he'll be ok then?" Josie asked.

"Yeah, he just needs to rest" he said, awkwardly kicking at a small pebble that was on the floor.

"Good. That's good. Tell him that I wish him the best" she said.

"You can visit if you like?" Harry said.

"No, that's ok, I think family and close friends are enough" she said.

"Jose, you're practically family to Ron" he said.

"No, not lately, I don't think" she said.

"I'll tell him you said hey" he said as he turned to walk away.

"Thanks" she called after him as he hurried down the stairs.

Josie sat in her bed, rummaging through the contents of her secret trunk compartment. It was something she had enchanted for herself once the pile of letters and notes from Draco began building. She was searching for one in particular that he had written her once when they had an argument. She remembered it word for word, something she continually reminded herself that she hated. Nevertheless, she wanted it. She wanted to hold it, to read it and to remember what it was that he told her, as though he were telling her for the first time.

She found the torn off triangle of parchment and unfolded it carefully. She read it over and over again, trying to remind herself of why she was doing this in the first place.

_Josie,  
Sometimes I get so frustrated with trying to be someone I'm not, that sometimes, the bad parts of me show through. There is no excuse for the way I treated you and I would give a thousand lifetimes to take it back, but sadly, I can't. So here I am begging you to forgive me. Without you I am nothing. I am less than nothing. The reasons I have to keep going with this, dwindle, the longer you don't speak to me. I do not place my success, nor my mortality in your hands, but please, understand, that the ways in which I love you are infinite. Without you I am nothing. Without you, I don't strive to complete this task, I strive only to continue to breathe one more minute, then the next and the next, until life is made up of only minutes trying to survive. You are the air, you are the light. You are everything that is good in this horrific world. You have a choice. You can forgive me and know that I am not perfect. That I will mess up and I will always, always come back to you, begging for you to forgive me. Or you can walk away from me now and rip this bandage off quickly. I feel that its only a matter of time until you come to your senses and see me for who I am. I will survive, but the air will be thin and the goodness within me will fade. I love you Josie and I beg your forgiveness.  
Your Draco_

The note was written after an argument that completely threw her and took her by absolute surprise. She hadn't expected it, she hadn't expected him to blow up the way that he did, but for reasons that Josie understood to be Draco's own self-hatred, he had been incredibly horrible to her on that particular day, when really, his frustrations were purely self inclined.

Josie closed her eyes and thought about Draco's face, how, at times he seemed so serene, so happy and just free from any sort of fear and desperation. Then she thought about the face she saw today. The one she had seen many times before. It was pure hate. Directed at who? She wasn't certain. If she was to guess, she was sure it was directed at himself. It didn't meant that it hurt any less. That when he yelled at her the way that he did, didn't make her feel worthless. That when he spat his angry words at her, she didn't feel hated.

She pushed the note back into the trunk, locked the lid and laid back on her bed. SHe wasn't usually an emotional person, crying wasn't something she did regularly had at the top of her to do list, but this day, she pulled the covers over her head and allowed the tears to flow. She cast a silencing spell around her bed and closed her eyes, sobbing into her pillow.

The anguish about everything she had been through over the last 12 months had somehow built up into one sobbing event, and now, Josie was rehashing everything that had caused her misery.

She had never met her biological father and the father who had positioned himself into her life, favoured his twins over her. No one ever said it, but it had been obvious, throughout her whole life, that the Black twins were far more cared for than the Potter kids. Her mother had all but abandoned her since she had taken up some strange mission. She rarely saw her, even when she did go home for the holidays. Lily, who's life used to revolve around caring for her children, was now focused on something else. And Josie felt completely on the outs.

Josie's own brother, who used to be her main supporter, the person she felt closest to in the world. Now she had pushed hm aside for a boy. She'd pushed everyone aside for this boy. _The_ boy. Draco had been the biggest source of anguish in her life over the last year and a bit. He had inserted himself into her mind, into her heart and into her soul and she had allowed herself to push away every other person, for fear that she may let slip the nature of their relationship. It had become no secret throughout the castle that Draco had ceased picking on people over the last 12 months. None more than Josie. He still threw away the odd slur in an attempt to appear as though he was still himself, but people had in fact noticed that Draco had changed. That was enough for the two of them to really see how people were actually noticing them. And people would notice as soon as they slipped up. Josie's efforts, daily, were focused on keeping the secret. It was draining.

She thought about her sisters, who, until just over a year ago, were inseparable and speaking a language only they could understand. Now they barely spoke to each other and spoke to the rest of the family even less. Carina had made new friends in Slytherin and would only associate with them. Would communicate with them constantly while at home and would show her face for meals only. Josie suddenly felt like her whole family was falling apart. Harry moreso than anyone. She had been busy, but it didn't mean she didn't notice her brother's declining mental health. He was suffering more than anyone else and she hated it.

She hated all of this. She hated how one argument could change everything. One short spat could make her feel this way.

* * *

She awoke to the sounds of the girls around her getting ready for breakfast.

"Hey there sleepyhead" came the vice of Hazel.

"Oh, hi" Josie answered, wiping sleep out of her eyes, as her stomach rumbled.

"I was almost going to go fetch McGonagall, you had warded your bed pretty good last night. What happened?" she asked.

"Warded?" Josie asked, unsure of how a silencing charm could create wards.

"Yes, there were loads of them. I broke through a couple, because I knew you were there, but after 5 or 6, they kept egenerating so I gave up" Hazel said.

"Regenerating?" she asked.

"Yes, regenerating. What is going on? Why do you look like shit?" she asked.

"Just had a big day yesterday" Josie said.

"Well, come on, wash your face, you need to et something" Hazel said.

Josie got up, dressed slowly and followed her friend down to the great hall for breakfast. Her body was weak and her mind was in a daze. Had she made wards and simply forgotten? That was definitely impossible, as Josie lacked the capacity to forget things.

"I didn't put wards up" she said to Hazel as they rounded the forth lot of stair cases.

"Well, someone did. Maybe you did it in your sleep?" she asked.

"Hmm, yeah maybe" she said.

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the entrance hall and the crowd of students waiting for breakfast was building.

"Come on all you firsties. Move it. Us big kids need food" Hazel called above the heads of the smaller children as she smiled to Josie.

"You're so nice" Josie said, sarcasm dripping from her words.

As they neared the doorway, a taller Ravenclaw boy moved to the side and Josie came face to face with Draco, right in the middle of the doorway. They made eye contact for a few seconds before Drac stepped back and allowed the to girls to enter. Josie turned to see where he had gone, but there was no sight of him. He didn't enter the hall.

"What on Merlin's green earth was that?" Hazel said as they took their seat at the long table.

"What?" Josie asked, picking at some fruit.

"You know bloody hell what Josie. That eye contact? That was intense" she said.

"Was it? I didn't notice" Josie said, trying as hard as she could to put an end to this inquisition.

"No, you don't Josie. You don't get away with it that easy" Hazel said. "Something is going on with you and Malfoy. Tell me" she said, grabbing Josie's arm.

"All right, all right, just stop. Be quiet. I'll tell you" Josie said, trying quickly to think of an excuse, but failing miserably.

"I want the truth" Hazel said. "What has he done to you?" she asked.

"Nothing. He hasn't done anything" she said, about to reveal everything, when Hermione and Harry took a seat beside the girls.

"Who hasn't done anything?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, Neville. He hasn't done anything on his potions assignment, and I was going to help him later on" Josie said, hoping that Neville would corroborate the story if asked.

"Oh. Right. Well, Harry's the potions genius now, Neville should ask him" Hermione said, clearly still annoyed that Harry has some cheating book.

"I don't think it's the academics that are keeping my dear brother behind in his homework" Hazel said with a grin.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"He hasn't been able to keep his hands, and various other body parts, off Hannah Abbott for the last week" Hazel said.

"Hannah?" Harry asked.

"The very same" Hazel said.

"Well. Good on them. At least someone's getting some around here" Harry said.

"Ew, Harry please don't talk like that" Josie said.

Harry seemed to have forgotten Josie was there because as soon as she spoke, he looked at her, turned right red and turned the other way to talk to Seamus.

As soon as Seamus began talking to Harry Hazel went white.

"Lets get out of here" Josie said, and the two girls took some pieces of toast in a napkin each and left the hall. Josie was almost expecting to rin into Draco again, but she didn't. The girls walked to the edge of the lake and sat under a tree.

"So, spill" Hazel said.

"This is horrific" Josie said.

"Spill"

"I have been dating Malfoy" Josie said.

"I knew it! I _knew_ it" she said.

"Things were going well. But yesterday we had a fight" she said.

"What about?" she asked.

Joise just looked at the older girl and shook her head.

"Come on. I killed my unborn baby, what could possibly be worse?" Hazel asked.

"Merlin"

"Merlin aint gonna save you"

"Funny thing is, I think after all this is over, no one will" Josie said, tears building and threatening to spill.

"Josie? What the hell. Don't. You're not like this. What the hell did he do to you?" she asked, pulling her friend close.

"We've been spending time in the room of requirement. No sex. Loads of other stuff. All consensual. He was given something to do. A task to complete. And I offered to help. Well, not so much as offered, but demanded" she said.

"I still don't get it"

"He tried so hard to stay away from me. The beginning of the school year, he wouldn't even look at me. He wouldn't come near me, wouldn't be with me. I finally tracked him down and he explained everything. The things he needs to do, his fears, everything. It was either, be with him, or he obliviate me. I wanted to be with him. And I don't know that obliviate would work on me anyway" she said

"What the fuck. What is he supposed to be doing? What are you helping him with?" Hazel asked.

"That's where I draw the line. I can't Haze. I'm sorry" she said.

"Just tell me you're not in any trouble?" Hazel asked, fear in her eyes.

"I… I'm fine. I just… I wish I knew how to fix this" she said.

"March up to him, in the middle of dinner and snog him" Hazel said.

"Yeah, right. That wouldn't cause a scene at all"

"At least that's one thing less you have to worry about. I get it. You're petrified of everyone finding out" she said.

"That is not happening. No way" Josie said.

"So what, you'll just have this secret relationship forever?" she asked.

"At least till graduation. Then… Then it wont matter" she said.

"What happens then?"

"I can move out. I won't have to see Harry's look of disappointment"

"It'd be understandable, Malfoy is his nemesis"

"But thats the thing. He isn't that bad. He's actually not like that at all. He's the most perfect guy. He's sweet and kind and caring. He's definitely considerate and chivalrous"

"How is he n the sack?" Hazel asked.

"Haze!"

"What?"

"That's not… We aren't… I mean, we haven't gotten to that part yet. We have rules" Josie said.

"So, a good looking 16 year old guy has a hot as fuck girl all t himself in a private room and all he does is… what?"

"We kiss. A lot. We have an underwear rule. So, no touching beneath underwear"

"That's easy if you take the damned things off"

"Well, that was my argument"

"And he didn't go for it?"

"He has this idea… and its warranted, because I made it a thing… that I am not allowed to change my mind or make any serious decisions in the heat of the moment" she said.

"Look, the way I see it.. You're gushing all about him. You're in love. And if he respects you the way you say he does, its clear he respects you too. Go find him. Go and tell him whatever the fuck it is that you're feeling about whatever he did, and make it right. Take your knickers off on the way though. Get laid. That way, it's already been thought out" Hazel said.

"But…"

"GO!"

At this, Josie stood and walked rather quickly back to the castle.


	15. Josie's Birthday

**AN - No reviews as yet, but thats ok. I expect i'll get more reads once its complete so fingers crossed. If you're reading this in the future, HEY. Its really starting to pick up pace now. I expect that we'll have some kind of breakthrough in the next chapter. Sorry i am not posting as often now. Limited reviews make it hard to find the passion. I love this story, but without love from my readers, its not easy to keep writing. I will never abandon this fic, it will just take some time to finish.**

**I have been picking up loads of spelling errors / typos / grammar issues in the previous chapters. When i AN - No reviews as yet, but thats ok. I expect i'll get more reads once its complete so fingers crossed. If you're reading this in the future, HEY. Its really starting to pick up pace now. I expect that we'll have some kind of breakthrough in the next chapter. Sorry i am not posting as often now. Limited reviews make it hard to find the passion. I love this story, but without love from my readers, its not easy to keep writing. I will never abandon this fic, it will just take some time to finish. **

**I have been picking up loads of spelling errors / typos / grammar issues in the previous chapters. When i get the chance, i do hope to go back and fix them. Its not me being stupid and not knowing how to spell / apostrophe/ type, its legitimately me going "ok, chapters done, post it and go". **

**Please enjoy. **

* * *

Josie flew through the door of the room of requirement and ran up the alley ways that lead to the cabinet. She didn't stop to call his name or see if he was there. The time that it took her to get there from the lake had given her ample opportunity to think about everything. Consider the path she had chosen and the life she wanted for herself. Her mind was made up. It had been made up. For months. She had to be the one to end this.

"Draco?"

There was no response, but something insider her told her that he was there.

She rounded the last corner and saw him standing over the cabinet, hair in his face and wand drawn. He looked incredibly stressed, his eyes were sunken and his cheeks hollow. Had he really changed that much in a day? Or had she just not noticed how hard this year had been for him too?

"You didn't answer" she said, depositing her bag on the floor near the couch.

He looked up at her and frowned, before turning his attention back to the cabinet.

"Draco, we need to talk. We need to end this" she said.

"That's what you came here for?" he asked, turning his back on the cabinet and moving towards her.

"That is exactly what I came here for. This thing that's happening between us needs to end. I can't take this any longer" she said.

Draco's eyes appeared glassy and he hesitated, as if he was going to launch into a tirade before bringing his wand up.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

"You're done. You said it. We agreed that any time you wanted to walk away I'd obliviate you" he said.

"Fuck Draco, no. That's not what I mean" she said.

"So you're not ending this?"

"I'm ending the _argument_ Draco. Not _us_" she said, stepping forward, closing the space between them.

"Just like that?" he asked.

"Just like this" she said, grabbing him by the front of his robes and pulling him into a kiss. He responded initially but pulled away.

"You can't just end an argument this way" he said, a smile playing on his lips.

"I know. I just wanted to… I missed you. We need to talk about all of this. We keep having these stupid fights that never really get resolved and I'm here, firstly to kiss you, but mostly, to talk" she said, pulling him towards the couch.

The pair sat down, Josie holding onto Draco's hands.

"You've got this incredibly difficult mission to accomplish and I think that my being here is making it harder" she began.

"No, that's not…" he started, but Josie interrupted.

"Please, let me finish. I have a point that I'm trying to make, I promise" she said, as he pushed his hair back off his face. "My whole life, I have been told that there are no shades of grey when it comes to good and evil. That the good cares about people, loves deeply and fights for freedom and that the evil hates people like me, doesn't know how to love and fights to make the world a place where purity is held in the highest regard and anything less needs to be exterminated. Then you come along, with the idea that you can be good, but be forced to do bad things for the sake of love and family. It completely changed my world view Draco. I don't want to be doing this thing with you…" she indicated towards the cabinet "… because I know what the result is. I know that by helping you, I'm helping you to save your family, but at the same time, I can't forget that we're helping to _murder_ someone" she said.

"I don't think I've been putting one hundred per cent of myself into this mission because I can't get truly on board about what it means… but I think I know now. By letting someone else into the castle, who is fully prepared to do the deed, I can save you from having to do it yourself. You mean the world to me Draco. I want to help you to save your family. Dumbledore would understand. He would sacrifice himself to save you Draco, I know he would" she said,

"I haven't been fair to you either" he said suddenly. "I've been angry and moody and desperate to get the job done that I'm taking short cuts everywhere. I promise, no more. We'll fix the cabinet and then let the others do what is necessary" he said, pulling her into a hug.

Josie couldn't help feeling like there was something more to say. Something missing from the end of that conversation. She wanted to ask 'then what', but she held back, not wanting to ruin this moment.

"Draco, I do want to talk about something else, while we're on a roll" she said, fear rising up from deep within her.

"I just want to kiss you now, so can it wait?" he asked.

"Not really" she said, as he kissed her neck.

"Can I do this while you talk?" he asked.

"No, you need to stop, otherwise it will break the rules" she said.

"What rules?" he asked, sitting up.

"Our rules about how far we take this, physically" she said.

"Oh" he said.

"I want to throw out the rules" she said, her heart beating hard in her chest.

"Completely?" he said.

"Gone" she said. "And I'm saying this, not in the heat of the moment" she said.

"Which is why you made me stop" he said.

"Precisely" she answered.

"Just so we're clear, the no sex, no underwear, no hands rule… You want to abolish that rule?" he asked.

"Well… yeah. Don't you?" she asked.

"Of course I do. I mean, I love you and I want to show you that I love you in every way possible, I just… I want to make sure you're sure before we agree on this" he said.

"I have actually thought about this, a lot" she said.

"Alright then. Rules abolished" he said, with a smile before he leant forward to kiss her.

Josie pulled him close, deepening the kiss, tracing his soft lips with her tongue. She was desperate for his touch, to get this over and done with. She was truly terrified, but now she had made the decision, she knew that she would go through with it. She had thought about it, over and over. She had learnt the contraception spells, she had fallen in love with Draco, more deeply than she thought possible. There was no reason not to go through with this. She reached down and began to remove his cloak and he stopped.

"I'm not doing this today. Not now. Not here" he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, thinking that as soon as the rule was abolished, that he would want to do it right away.

"I may be a teenage boy, but I'm still insanely in love with you and I want it to be special. We're not having sex for the first time on a dirty old couch surrounded by centuries of peoples piled up junk. So tell your heart to stop beating through the roof and let me just kiss you" he said.

Josie smiled in semi-relief and part absolute adoration at her boyfriend's thoughtfulness and moved in to continue kissing him, without the thought that she was about to lose her virginity to him in this exact moment.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Harry had gotten it into his head that Draco was up to something. Following a particularly nasty quidditch incident where Harry landed himself in the hospital wing, Harry had tasked Dobby with following Draco around Hogwarts.

Josie had become so consumed with worry that someone would find out about them, that she had gone to great lengths to 'lose' the marauders map so he couldn't see her with Draco. It wasn't really lost, just locked inside yet another compartment that no one could find in her trunk.

"You had the map last, Josie" Harry said to her one morning at breakfast.

"Yeah, and then I gave it back to you" she said, in the most offhanded manner she could summon.

"When?" he asked.

"In December. You asked for it so you could use it after Slughorns Christmas party and I gave it to you" she said.

"That's awfully specific" he said.

"I have perfect memory recall Harry. I am specific. That's how I know I gave it to you" she said, turning away from her brother.

"Well, I'm going to accio it tonight after dinner and if it comes from your dorm, you'll be apologising to me straight away" he said.

"And when it doesn't, I'll expect your apology in writing" she said, getting up from the table and leaving in a huff.

She made her way to her dorm and double checked the wards on her trunk. They were completely safe. No one would get anything in or out of there without her magical signature.

* * *

The next few days went quickly. Josie found herself zoning out in lessons and thinking about Draco. He told her that he would plan something special for their first time. He wanted it to be perfect for her and she wound herself up so tight with anxiety about it that she almost demanded he tell her when, where, how each time they spoke.

Their meetings were becoming less frequent with Draco's apparation lessons occurring in Hogsmead. Josie found herself making small accomplishments with the cabinet while he was gone and explaining to him what it was that she had done before he gave her a thorough snogging afterwards.

"I want to teach you occlumency" he said to her one day.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because the Dark Lord is the most accomplished Legillimens ever and if you happen to meet him and he looks into you mind and sees that you're the most incredible person ever, he will feel completely threatened by you… Or he'll want to recruit to you his inner circle" Draco said.

"We definitely can not have that" she said, kissing him.

The next few weeks were taken up with Draco attempting to see into her thoughts and Josie becoming highly effective in blocking him.

"You're actually really good at this" he said.

"Its not hard. I just put things to the back of my memory and bring out useless things, like…" she began.

"Like professor Binns and what you had for lunch yesterday" Draco said.

"Exactly" she said.

"You need to have _something_ useful. If someone gets into you mind, they will want to know your secrets. If you only have useless things contained in your mind, whoever is trying to get in will know you're using occlumency" he said.

Josie thought about this for a while and came up with some ideas.

"Ok, try again" she said with a grin.

_Josie turned and found herself in the arms of Des. He smiled at her and she saw his perfect handsome face that he usually hid behind his frown. She couldn't help but kiss him, and kiss him she did. They moved to the couch and sat, continuing their kissing. She was in heaven now. There was no place she would rather be, than right here with her boyfriend.  
"I'm so glad I found this place, now we can come here whenever we want" Des said.  
"Lets come here everyday" she said.  
"Multiple times a day" Des said, kissing her again.  
"How about we just stay here?" Josie asked.  
"I think that could be arranged" Des said._

_"Salazar… Josie, why would you show me that?" he asked._

_"Well, I'm a teenage girl. Why wouldn't an old boyfriend be at the front of my mind?" she asked._

_"That's fine, but for the purposes of this exercise, can you use something different?" he asked._

_"fine, fine…" she said, as Draco looked into her eyes, straight through her soul and into her mind._

_Lily sat up in the hospital, cradling baby Josie in her arms when Sirius arrived with Harry in tow._

_"Gosh, aren't you dressed beautifully?" she said when Harry walked in, wearing overalls, gum boots, gloves and a sun hat._

_"Hey, what the boy wants, the boy gets" Sirius said, picking Harry up and sitting him on the edge of the bed. "Look little man, this is your baby sister" Sirius said to Harry._

_Harry looked at the baby bundled in the blankets and smiled. He was almost 2 but it seemed like he was old enough to understand how special she was._

_"Do you want to give her a kiss?" Lily asked him._

_Harry nodded and crawled closer to his little sister._

_"This is Josie, Harry" Lily said, unwrapping the blankets so he could get a good look at her._

_Harry took in the small creature for a while, looking down at her tiny fingers and toes, frowning when she made a grunting noise in her sleep, in response to being unwrapped from her cosy blankets._

_Harry turned to Sirius and held his hand out for his back pack. Using his chubby 2 almost 2-year-old fingers, Harry unzipped his back pack and took out a bright pink stuffed niffler, then turned back to his little sister and placed it carefully on the place where Harry assumed her lap would be._

_"For Joooosie" he said, leaning down and kissing her gently on her forehead._

"You… you remember that? You were just born" he asked, shocked.

"Draco, I've told you before, I remember everything" she said.

"Yeah, I know that, but I thought… I just thought that it started at age 4 or something. Not forever. How do you cope with all these detailed memories?" he asked.

"I guess the same way I am so good at occlumency. I just pack it all away in compartments and bring it out when I need it. I realised that if I lock some away, I can stop you from getting at them" she said.

They continued for several weeks, with Josie showing some memories that might be considered useful and some that were pure trash. Draco exhausted himself each day, trying to pry beyond her walls, but was never able to get into anything deep.

* * *

The beginning of April arrived, bringing with it, Josie's 15th birthday. She had spent a week at home with her family for Easter, which was a strange change of circumstances. Her parents spent the entire week with their children making wonderful memories. Josie had to admit to herself that she had a great time.

Her birthday fell on a Friday, and after a special dinner at the end of the Gryffindor table surrounded by her friends and family, receiving presents and hugs where she could not help but look over to the Slytherin table every 5 minutes, Josie excused herself to go to the bathroom.

She left the great hall and entered the storage closet, where she waited less than 60 seconds for Draco to enter behind her.

"There was so much commotion, no one even noticed me leave straight after you" he said, taking her face in both of his hands.

"Merlin, I missed you" she said.

"Sorry we haven't been able to meet up since we got back to school" he said,

"That's ok, this makes up for it" she said, standing on her toes to kiss him.

"This?" he asked.

"Well, yeah" she answered, confused.

"Nuh uh" he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Meet me outside the ROR at 930" he said, before kissing her once and leaving.

Josie left the closet in a daze and returned to the party. Her mind was completely occupied with thoughts of Draco and whether or not she could accurately perform the hair removal charm while in such a state.

"I have a feeling that you're about to have a really good night" Hazel said as they walked to the Gryffindor tower, arms laden with presents.

"I hope so" she said.

"You nervous?" Hazel asked.

"Incredibly" Josie said.

"You just need to remember that you love him, and he loves you. Be yourself. You trust him, right?" she asked.

"Of course" she said.

"Then you're fine. He loves you. He won't hurt you if he can avoid it. Just tell him to take it slow. After a few times, you can hump like rabbits" Hazel said.

Josie looked around to make sure no one was around. That would be a mortifying conversation if Harry was to overhear.

"Thanks for the tip" Josie said, depositing her presents on her bed as they had now made their way to their dormitory.

"What time are you meeting him?" she asked.

She looked at the clock on the wall, "About an hour from now" she said.

Hazel helped her friend get ready while everyone else remained in the common room. It had been a Gryffindor tradition to stay up late on a Friday night and celebrate the end of another week.

At 920, Hazel made her way, disillusioned, out of the common room and towards the 7th floor. She had removed all unnecessary body hair, thoroughly deodorised herself and put on her nicest underwear especially for the event.

As she neared the corner to the room of requirement, she heard voices from nearby. She hid behind a tapestry, listening carefully. The unmistakable voice of Draco could be heard, along with Snape.

"You need to focus on the task at hand, Draco" Snape said.

"I am. I'm a hundred per cent focused" Draco said.

"No. You're letting yourself get distracted with these little games with that Potter girl" he said.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. She's been more use to me throughout this than you have ever been" Draco said.

"So you're using her?" he asked.

"That's not… No. I'm serious about her. We're serious about each other" he said.

"She's a 15-year-old girl"

"With the mind and brain of someone several years older"

"You've lost sight of the mission Draco"

"And you're a jealous, senile old man who needs to back off"

"It needs to happen soon Draco"

"And it will. Josie is a help, not a hinderance"

"Well, if you expect your family and the dark lord to approve, you need to make it official. And soon"

"I understand. What do you think I'm doing?"

"Tonight? She's 15"

"And we're running out of time"

"Do you have the necessary… ahem… item?"

"I do. I travelled to the vault over Easter"

"I'll need to have a talk with her mother. Smooth things over"

"No. You need to stay out of it. Play your game, Snape. Leave me to mine"

"You're playing with fire Draco"

"I love her. She loves me. This isn't a trivial thing. Now leave me be"

"As you wish"

Josie let out the breath that she didn't know she was holding in while she remained behind the tapestry. The footsteps of Professor Snape came and went past her as she stood, taking in everything she had heard.

She wondered what it all meant, but didn't have time to think. As soon as she knew Snape was gone but leaving enough time so Draco wouldn't know she had heard that whole conversation, she left the hiding place and rounded the corner to find Draco standing there, waiting for her.

As she approached, he handed her a bunch of flowers and kissed her hand.

"Wait here" he said, leaving her standing there while he walked back and forth three times. When the door to the room appeared, he opened it and motioned for her to go first.

She entered the room and was met with the most amazing looking space. It was almost like a luxury motel suite that Josie had seen in muggle magazines. There was a sitting area directly in front, which Draco was leading her towards, with a bar to the side and a bedroom space to the right that included an enormous bed and what appeared to be a bathroom off to the side. To the left was a large window that had no possible way to have the view of the lake that it did, but in front of it stood a large loveseat looking out to the view. The lighting was mostly coming from the moon outside and the two lamps that stood beside the bar.

Josie was mesmerised, as Draco left her by her hand towards the sitting area.

"Did you create this in your mind?" she asked.

"Mostly" he said.

"I love it" she said, looking around.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked.

"Sure" she said.

A tray of pumpkin juice appeared on the bar and Josie took a glass before sitting on the immensely comfortable couch beside Draco.

"Happy birthday" he said, as he held his glass up to hers. She clinked glasses with him before taking a sip.

"This is amazing" she said.

"You're amazing" he said in response.

Josie was lost for words, just smiling at the effort Draco had obviously gone to for this occasion.

"I want to kiss you but I'm afraid that I'll get carried away and forget why I brought you here" he said.

"I assumed kissing was a big part of why you brought me here" she said, glancing over at the bed.

"That's neither here nor there. I brought you here to give you a gift" he said, reaching into the pocket of his robes.

Josie's breath caught in her throat when he pulled out a small box. She knew what it was before she even took it from him.

He placed it in her hands and she looked at his eager face before she pulled the ribbon loose on the top. She opened the box, revealing what appeared to be a ring that had been passed down from generation to generation in the Malfoy family.

"This has been in my family forever. Its pretty ugly now, but it is charmed to change to your hearts desire once you put it on" he said, looking from the ring to Josie's face. She wasn't sure what to do or say in this moment, so she kept quiet and hoped he would continue to speak.

"I love you Josie. This isn't just a school crush or a fling while it lasts, type of thing. I know we're both so young, but I know what I want, and I know you enough to know that you do too. Josie, you're the only person in this whole world who knows the real me. You mean more to me than anybody else in this entire world and I want you to agree to marry me" he said, taking the ring out of the box that she was still holding.

Josie had no words to reply to Draco's request. She was certain that she loved him. She knew that there was nobody else in the whole world who she could love as much as she loved him, but was she ready for marriage? She had no idea. She looked from the ring to his face and saw how incredibly happy he was, how much her answer would dictate their future.

With a steady breath, she whispered "yes" and he placed the ring on her finger.

The ring changed as soon as he placed it on her finger. It was no longer a large gaudy yellow gold ring with a dark green stone in the middle. It was now white gold, with a simple band that had diamonds covering a portion of the upper side. In the middle was a small grouping of larger diamonds, with a main diamond in the centre. It was perfect.

"People are going to see" she said.

Draco took out his wand and tapped it once, muttering something under his breath. Nothing seemed to happen.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"A charm. No one will be able to see it unless you will them to" he said.

At this, Josie kissed him and held him in her arms until she couldn't stand it any longer. She stood, pulling him with her, and walked to the bed. She removed her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, silently begging him to understand what she meant.

"You want to do this?" he asked.

"I'm absolutely certain I want to do this" she said, pulling him close to her and kissing him.

As they kissed, they fumbled while they removed each others clothing, Draco worshipping every piece of Josie's body as it was revealed to him. Josie was terrified, but at the same time, she was desperate to show him how much she loved him. She wanted to be closer to him than ever before and now that they were engaged, she was more ready than ever before.

They made love, slowly and clumsily. Draco was tender and ensured Josie's comfort throughout the entire event. He asked her again and again if he was ok, if she wanted to continue. Despite the initial pain, Josie was fine. She never imagined that the physical act of having sex would be able to strengthen the emotional bond that they shared. In fact, the enormity of it all was clear to Josie as they laid together in the aftermath. They had been each others first. They had connected in a way that left them with an unbreakable bond. She was now more certain than ever that she loved him, and would love him forever.

* * *

April flew past with haste, bringing with it Draco's apparition licence, the break up of Ginny and Dean and the end of Ron's fling with Lavender. The cabinet was almost complete, giving Draco and Josie a sense of both dread and relief. They were certain that with another week or so of testing, it would be ready to transport humans.

The room of requirement had provided them with a room off to one side that contained a bed where they tested out their newly discovered physical compatibility. This restricted the time that they actually spent repairing the cabinet, however, they were now happier than ever before.

Except when they were not.

During the first week of May, Josie watched as Draco received a letter from an owl she recognised her his family owl. She watched through her eyelashes as his face turned pale and he fled form the great hall. She made to get up and he subtly shook his head at her as he left.

"Wonder what that git's running for" Josie heard Ron say.

She looked up and noticed Harry and Ron watching Draco leave.

"You're both just nosy" she said.

"He's up to something" Harry said.

"Just leave him alone. You're obsessed. Why don't you just stop with the Malfoy obsession?" she asked.

"You don't understand. Malfoy's been sneaking around this castle for months he's up to something and I want to know what it is" Harry said.

"He probably has a secret boyfriend that he keeps hidden in the room or requirement" Ginny said.

"I actually heard the other day in the girl's bathroom that he's been meeting a girl in there" Hazel said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"If you think he's up to something. That's what it is. He's meeting a girl. Word has it that it's a Hufflepuff, which is why you don't see them together. I don't know if _those_ rumours are true though. But he's definitely shagging someone. That's all. So go Harry. Go find him. Walk in on him balls deep in some girl if you want" Hazel said.

"Why is everything so filthy with you?" Hermione asked from somewhere down the table.

"Because I'm a filthy filthy girl Hermione" Hazel said with a grin.

"No. I reckon there's something more" Harry said.

Josie spent the rest of the morning looking for Draco. He wasn't in the room, or the library or anywhere he usually was. When she couldn't find him, she headed back to work on the cabinet assuming he was in his common room, which was a place she could not get access to if she tried.

She was eager to get to the bottom of the last few spells to make the cabinet work for human transportation when she heard the door open and then close.

She initially thought it was Draco, so she continued working silently till she heard strange sounding footsteps heading her way. She had come to recognise Draco's even steps and he would always announce himself. This time, though, the footsteps were more frantic and erratic and there was no voice associated with this visitor. Josie froze and held her breath, hoping she wouldn't make any noise, frantically wondering who was here and how they managed to get into the room.

The steps neared closer and Josie quickly slid her book bag under a nearby shelf and ducked in between two large shelves. Under what appeared to be a large doxy riddled rug. From a small gap, she watched two legs walk by and had to suppress a gasp when she recognised the shoes.

Harry's feet and legs hurried past where she watched from and she held her breath as he paused almost right in front of her. She heard rustling and the sound of things getting picked up and put down before the footsteps of her brother rushed away and out the door.

She waited another few minutes before leaving her hiding space in case someone else was there. She stood and looked around, wondering what Harry would be doing in the room of hidden things and how he managed to get in while she was in there. He must have used the exact same wording as she had when she entered.

She tried to brush off the feeling of unease, by continuing to work on the cabinet. She hoped that Draco would come along soon, as she hadn't seen him all day. As time ticked by, hopes faded. As the sky in the high windows turned to black, she left the work unfinished and picked up her bag, heading for the door. As she left the room, she almost ran directly into Hazel, whose face was white as a ghost.

"Josie, fucking hell, you've been in there forever" she said.

"What's wrong?" Josie asked, sensing the panic in her voice.

"Its Harry…" she said.

"Is Harry ok?" she asked.

"Harry's ok, but he did something. Something bad" Hazel said, chewing on her fingernails.

"For fuck sake, Hazel, what happened?" Josie yelled.

"Harry cast a spell at Draco. He hit him in the chest…" she said.

"He's not… Is he ok?" Josie asked, her eyes filling with tears.

"I'm not sure. It was a dark curse. Only lucky really that Snape was there" Hazel said.

"Where is he? Haze, where is Draco?" Josie asked.

"He's in the hospital wing" Hazel said.

"Thanks" she said as she started off in a run towards the hospital.

"Wait. Josie, wait. You can't just go in there. People will see. You might not think it now, but tomorrow, you will regret it" Hazel said.

Josie stopped and turned around, nodding her head.

"You're right…. Curse me" Josie said.

"What?"

"Curse me. Hurt me. Break my arm. I don't care" she said.

"No way. I'm sorry, I can't do that"

"Well, levitate me to the infirmary then?" Josie said, confusing Hazel as she turned and rand towards the stairs.

"Josie, what in Godrics name are you doing?" Hazel called, but before she could stop her, Josie disappeared down the stairs, tumbling over and over herself.

* * *

"By the good grace of Merlin, I have never known someone to fall down three flights of stairs before. You picked the worst place to trip, Miss Potter" Madame Pomphrey was saying.

"She cant hear you madam, she's unconscious" Hazel said with tears in her eyes.

"Well, I know that, but even so" the healer said as she cast a diagnostic charm over Josie's body.

"Multiple broken bones, a concussion, bruising over 80 per cent of her body" she'll be keeping Mister Malfoy company for a while, that's for sure.

"What happened to Malfoy?" Hazel asked, hoping that she may get some answers.

"Nasty curse. Have to regrow the skin. Weeks in the hospital wing for him" she said.

Hazel peeked around the curtain that separated the two beds and was horrified by what she saw. Draco had deep gashes all over his torso. She could only see his chest, but that was enough to horrify her.

"Draco?" came the weak voice of Josie.

"He's ok Jose. You need to get your rest" she said.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You threw yourself down three flights of stairs" Hazel whispered.

"I had to get in here" she said. "How is he? How is Draco? IS he ok?" she asked.

"Pomphrey says he'll be ok" Hazel said. "You'll both be in here for a while"

"I can't. I have to see Draco and we have to get back to the room" she said.

"I don't think you'll be doing much shagging for a while Josie" Hazel said.

"No. Not that. I need to fix. Need to help. I can't stay in here" she said.

As soon as the header heard Josie's voice she came bustling over with a dreamless sleep potion and tipped it down Josie's throat.

"You will sleep, then we can talk about why you tripped in the most inconvenient place in the whole school" she said. "Now out with you miss Longbottom".

"Yes madame" she said, eyeing Josie before leaving.

* * *

**AN - PS, i read Manacled on Ao3 last week. PLEASE PLEASE do yourself a favour and read it. There are some trigger warnings so please use caution, but this is an amazing fic to read.**

**Also in the process of reading Debt of Time. Just at the time travel bit. I struggle with age difference relationships that don't make sense to me, but i'm persevering ****because**** i've heard good things. **


	16. Decisions decisions

**AN - If anyone is still with me, apologies for the long time between updates. I've just spent all my free time reading Debt of Time and have been absolutely captivated. At first i was a little unsure, but lordy it gets good. I suggest a google, as its easy to find. **

**Please review as it keeps me going. I have a lot written at the moment that need fine tuning. I have the next 5 chapters planned out, so let me know if anyone is still hanging in there. **

**xxklxx**

* * *

Josie opened her eyes and blinked under the brightness of the light above her.

"Welcome back, Miss Potter" came the voice of the headmaster.

"Back?" she asked.

"Its been quite a while. You sustained a significant head injury" he said.

"A while? How long?" she asked, her voice sounding husky and raw.

"Eight days" Madame Pomphrey said.

"Why? How? I just fell down some stairs" she said, confusion flooding her system with panic.

"You sustained quite significant systemic injuries…" Pomphrey began, waving her wand over her body. When different coloured lights appeared, Josie suddenly began to realise how significant this was.

"Internal bleeding? Lacerated spleen? Kidney damage? All I did was fall down some stairs. I don't get it" she said.

"Miss Potter, you fell down three flights of stairs, through a window and had your fall broken by a stone wall six feet below. If miss Longbottom hadn't been there at the exact moment you fell, you would not be alive to have this conversation" Dumbledore said with limited emotion.

"Well… I must be the luckiest student in the school then, mustn't I?" she asked, noticing that the lights indicating the injuries were changing colour to indicate healing.

"Not quite" he said, glancing in the direction of Draco's bed which was beside hers behind a curtain.

"Draco… I mean, Malfoy was here" she said, looking around, trying to sit up.

"He is fine, Miss Potter. Nothing that a few potions, spells and rest won't fix" Dumbledore said, urging her to lay down.

"I… What do you…" she stammered, wondering why his eyes were gleaming at her in such a way.

"I may be an old fool, Miss Potter, but I know the goings on in my own castle" he said with a smile.

"You know?" she asked, watching as Madame Pomphrey not so subtly left the bedside.

Dumbledore placed his hand, the one that wasn't horrifically shrivelled, on top of her left hand, over the ring that she could see, the ring she was almost positive he couldn't see, and smiled down at her. She knew in that moment that he was aware of the nature of the relationship between herself and Draco.

"Who told you?"

"I am headmaster. I don't need to be told; I just know"

"We're…"

"Engaged. I am aware"

Josie looked down at her hands. Did she feel shame? Embarrassment? Should she?

"I think its time that this world demonstrated a little more faith and understanding, the way the two of you have. I am pleased, Miss Potter, that yourself and mister Malfoy have come to put your differences aside and formed this… relationship. I do worry, however, about the reactions your families will have. You will do well to consider this, when you make plans in the coming months" he said, turning to leave.

She wondered briefly what he was getting at. What he was trying to say. She was smart, but Dumbledore's riddles often had her confused.

"Professor…", she began, hesitating.

"The future is written. There is nothing that can be done to change it. All we can do is make choices that allow us to have the ones by our side who will enable us to make the most of the worst situations" he said, a sad smile crossing his face briefly before he left.

After a while, Josie sat up, thinking about his words.

"What the fuck was that supposed to mean?" she asked out loud, to no one in particular.

"I think it means that you should just go with the flow" came the voice she was longing to hear.

She threw the blankets off her body and sat up, a little too fast as her head spun, but she was desperate to see the face of her fiancé.

"Draco" she said in a whisper, as she slid past the curtain that separated the two of them.

"What the fuck happened to you?" he asked, looking her up and down. She hadn't had a look at herself yet, but it was evident, from the way he was looking at her, that she looked terrible.

"I should say the same to you" she said.

"A run in with your brother in the bathroom. Partly my fault, but he's quick to use spells he doesn't know" Draco said, wincing when he tried to shrug it off and hurt himself.

"You're hurt badly" she said.

"As are you. But you haven't been duelling anybody" he said.

"I just wanted to see you" she said.

"So, you thought that trying to kill yourself would allow that?" he asked, anger evident in his accusation.

"No. That's not… I thought I'd break an arm or bump my head at best. I wasn't trying to kill myself, I have too much to live for" she said, brushing his fringe off his forehead.

She stayed talking to him for almost an hour before the doors to the hospital wing opened.

"I'll check to make sure she's decent" the voice of Hazel came echoing through the ward.

Josie stood and made her way back to her bed as her friend came over.

"You absolute fucking idiot" Hazel said as she pulled her friend into a hug.

"Good to see you too, Haze" Josie said, as Hazel pulled away and walked over to the doors, letting a large group of Gryffindor's in.

Josie sat up in her bed as Hazel, Neville, Ron and Hermione walked in. Her face dropped when she figured that Harry hadn't thought to visit, however, before she could say anything, he walked through the door, hand in hand with Ginny.

"Someone's going to have to fill me in on this…" she indicated towards Harry and Ginny… "before I think I've been unconscious for longer than 6 days" she said, shock evident on her face.

Hazel glanced over towards Draco who was trying his hardest to look out the window and not make eye contact with Harry, the person who had been the cause of both Draco and Josie's hospital stay. She gave him a wink before she pulled the curtains around his bed closed.

"These two have decided to finally get their act together" Hazel said.

"About time I say" Neville added.

"I don't like it" Ron huffed; arms folded across his chest.

"Well I'm glad. You two have been dancing around this bloody thing that has or hasn't been going on, for years" Josie said, genuinely happy for her friend and her brother.

"Well thanks Jose. I'm glad for your seal of approval" she said sweetly, smiling at Josie before glaring at her brother.

"There's just… some… lines you don't cross. Sister…" he gestured towards Ginny, "…best mate…" he gestured towards Harry. "It's a line" Ron said.

"And there's a huge line YOU shouldn't cross and that's dictating who I can and cannot date!" Ginny argued, poking Ron in the chest with a finger on the hand that wasn't attached to Harry.

"I for one don't have a problem with one of my best friends dating MY brother so, good on you both. I just… would hate to have my opinion be made irrelevant if I didn't agree" she said, concerned for Ron's sanity and anger levels.

"We voted" Hermione said.

"Voted?" Josie asked, as though the topic of Harry and Ginny dating could ever be decided on a vote.

"I offered to back off. But Ron called a vote" Harry said.

"This is too much" Josie said, holding her head.

"Are you feeling ok?" Hermione asked, causing Josie to squint in the light at the girl who she rarely actually got along with.

"I'm fine. I've been awake for a couple of hours now and my body is pretty much healed…" She began.

"Bullshit, you're black and fucking blue" Hazel snapped.

"I'm fine. I'll BE fine. A few more days of rest and Pomphrey says I'll be right to go" she said. "That's more than I can say for some other patients in here, Harry" she said, squaring her eyes at her brother.

"I don't think this is the place to talk about it" Neville said.

"Well, I for one think you completely crossed a line" Josie said, "that's all I'll say about it" she added.

"That's what I said" Hermione said in a quiet voice, as she looked to the other side of the room.

The group sat for a while before Josie's head began to pound. The wards that Madame Pomphrey had set up had activated to alert her t Josie's pain and she immediately ushered the group out the doors.

"Thank you, if I had to look at my brother making doe eyes at my best friend much longer, I think I'd puke" she said, laying down on the bed.

"Well, I think we'll have to monitor your visitors to make certain we account for the other patients in the ward" she said,

"If I could, I'd lock the doors and not let anybody in, but that would cause suspicion" she said quietly as the healer walked away.

* * *

It was another week before Josie was allowed to leave the hospital wing and another week after that before Draco was allowed to leave. Her wounds healed and the bruising faded, but Draco's wounds were still so fresh and the dark magic within them kept them from healing at any sort of speed.

When the couple first reunited in the room of requirement, Josie was stunned beyond belief at the raw wounds she saw peaking out from beneath Draco's shirt.

"I can't believe he did this to you" she said, peeling his shirt off from his shoulders.

"I deserved it. I drew my wand first" he said.

"That still doesn't make it right. He could have killed you" she said, kissing the deep dark lines that crossed his torso.

"Well, sometimes I wish he had" he said.

"Don't say that. Draco… Don't ever say that. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you" Josie said, looking into his grey eyes.

"I just… I can't see an end to this" he said, closing his eyes so she couldn't see his pain.

"I can. I really can. We're so close Draco. I think… I think that another day or so and we'll have it. I swear" she said.

"I hope you're right" he said, pulling her close to him.

* * *

It was another week till Josie and Draco were working on the cabinet with any sort of achievement.

"There" she said, slowly waving her wand over the entirety of the cabinet. "I think… That might be it" she said, looking at the book that was laid out beside her.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Well, no. But I'm as sure as I can be and there's only one day to test it" she said.

"I'll do it" Draco said.

"No way, if it doesn't work, you're splinched and I can't help you" she said.

"This is part of what I had to do Josie. This is the mission. Fix it to the best of my ability and then make sure it works" he said, pulling the door open.

Josie flung herself at him, kissing him roughly on the lips with tears streaming down her face.

"If this doesn't work Draco…" she began, words failing her.

"It will work. I know it will because I had you helping me" he said.

"I'm a 15-year-old witch Draco. I'm not…" she began.

"You're brighter than anyone I know. You've completed all the course work from every year, you know all the spells. You understand the theory. You may be _aged_ 15, but you're unlike any 15-year-old I've ever met. I trust you. I have faith in you" he said, kissing her once before stepping into the cabinet.

Josie stood back as Draco closed the door behind him. She heard him mutter the incantation "_Harmonia Nectere Passus_" and held her breath as se heard a WOOSH come from inside the cabinet and then silence.

She reached for the handle and pulled open the door. There was absolutely nothing inside. Not a speck of lint or a trace of something left behind.

She paced back and forth and counted the seconds in her mind. It was a full ten minutes before there was a sound in the cabinet and the door opened.

"It worked" he said, grinning broadly. She hadn't seen him this happy in all the time she had known him intimately.

"Merlin, I thought you were dead" Josie said, helping him out of the cabinet and holding him in her arms.

"It worked Josie, it worked... Whoop woo!" He said, again and again, celebrating this incredible effort.

The two of them celebrated briefly, not realising when the door to the room had opened.

"Who's there?" came a voice.

"Shh, that sounds like…" Josie said.

"Trelawny" he said.

Josie crept around several corners and alleys and saw what appeared to be a very intoxicated divinations professor attempting to place some empty bottles on a shelf. She pointed her wand towards the professor, and whispered "_relinquo_", watching as the professor was thrown haphazardly out the door.

"That was brilliant" Draco said, appearing behind her.

"Well, I have been known to do great things every now and then" she said.

"Always" he said, taking her by the hand and leading her to the bedroom that sat off to the side of the room.

* * *

When Josie arrived in the common room later that afternoon, she was met with a group huddled in the corner. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Desmond and Hazel were talking in rushed whispers in a corner, unheard by any of the other residents of the room.

"What's going on?" Josie asked, feigning a casual tone.

"Where have you been?" Des scolded her.

"What do you mean? I've been studying" she said.

"Bullshit you fucking liar, we checked the library, we looked everywhere" he spat.

"Uh, I sorry, what? I do study in places other than the library" she said.

"Funny how yours and Malfoy's were the only names left off the map" he said.

Josie looked around at the accusing faces all staring in her direction. Was she caught? Was this the time where she would have to admit to the nature of her relationship with Draco?

"I don't understand. I was studying in the room of requirement. Its peaceful there and I can play my music. I don't know what you're implying, but perhaps the map is wrong?" she said.

"The map is never wrong" Ron said.

"It was created by a bunch of 16-year-old marauders and is now 20 years old. I was in the room of requirement, that's all I know. As far as Malfoy is concerned, maybe he left the castle? How would I know? Now someone tell me what the hell is going on?" she asked, looking at Hazel for an answer.

"Harry came to us and told us that something is happening tonight. He's gone on a mission with Dumbledore and we're to be on the lookout. It seems like whatever Harry's been waiting to happen… Its happening tonight" Hermione said.

"I don't understand. What's happening? What's he worried about? Why has he left? I need to go with him, I need to find him" she said, turning to leave.

"He's gone" Hazel said, placing her hand on her friends' shoulder.

Josie's eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"I can't… I don't know what to do. What do I do, Haze?" she asked, suddenly overcome with emotions.

"You just be here, with us. Help us. Be on the lookout for anything that looks odd and keep us up to date with these…" she handed Josie a charmed coin that could pass messages between them. "When it heats up, it means there's a message embedded in the numbers" she said.

Josie took one, looked it over and placed it in her pocket. She liked the idea of these and thought it would be a good idea to make one for herself and Draco.

She had no idea how she would navigate this night, given the plan she had created with Draco.

She would go along with both plans, keep as many people safe as she possibly could and figure out the rest later.

"Just tell me what the plan is" she said, looking around the group.

* * *

Hogwarts dinner was a subdued affair for the group of Gryffindors who were on the edges of their seats. Josie tried not to look at Draco, however, every time she looked to him, she felt the guilt in the pit of her stomach about what she was going to have to do.

She knew she would eventually have to make a choice. By the end of the night, nothing and no one would be the same and she would either be in the winning group or the losing group. There would be no more in between, no more secrets, no more lies. After tonight, the wizarding world would cease to exist as it has, her entire life.


	17. Battle of the Astronomy Tower

**AN - Hasty Chapter to make up for the lag of late. Looking for a new ff to read. Will post recommendations later.**

**This chapter contains portions lifted directly from Half Blood Prince. For authenticity.**

* * *

Josie lingered on the 7th floor, close enough to the room of requirement, but not so close as to infer that she knew what was going to happen. She had taken a drop of Felix Felicis, along with her house mates and had prepared herself for what was to come. The idea that she knew exactly what would happen, and the rest of the DA were only guessing was the hardest thing for Josie.

She swallowed the guilt and hid behind a tapestry when she heard voices.

"Its now or never Draco, the headmaster is out of the castle for a short time and its walls are unprotected. I can help you but only as far as you are willing to participate" came the voice of Snape.

"Its fine. I know what I'm doing. Tonight is the night" Draco answered.

"And the girl?" Snape questioned.

"She'll… She will choose… when the time is right" he said, fear radiating through his whispered tone.

"There will be no going back. If she chooses you then she chooses the side of dark. There will be no returning to her family. She chooses the dark lord" Snape said.

"I know, Merlin, I know this" Draco's exasperated voice said. She imagined him running his hand through his hair at this very moment.

"Does she know?" he asked.

There was silence and she wondered what Draco's answer was to his mentor. Did Draco know this? Did _she_ know this? Did she truly know what the implications of all of this would be?

The sound of footsteps once again echoed through the halls, away from where she stood, leaving her now more confused than ever.

The side of dark. Voldemort's side. _Draco's_ side. Or should she choose the side of good, of Dumbledore and all that he stands for. All he would have stood for, once this night is over. Her parents, her brother and her sisters. Was there a difference? Could there be an in-between? If you do bad things for the sake of goodness, is it truly bad? If she reminds herself, constantly, over and over about why she is doing what she is doing, then is it truly bad? Is she doing something wrong by siding with the darkness if she is truly playing for the light?

Minutes ticked by, hours perhaps, but she couldn't tell. The corridors were dark, the torches were out. A sign that things were about to become real. More real than she anticipated.

She made her way, by feel, towards the room where she knew Draco was activating the cabinet to allow death eaters into the castle. She knew that there would be members of the DA on this floor and she hope that if she were to stun them, then perhaps they would survive the death eater attack.

"Josie? What are you doing here?" came Neville's voice.

"I have been patrolling the corridors. So far, there is nothing but silence" she said, taking her place beside her lifelong friend.

"What now then? We can't stay here all night?" Hazel asked, anxiety emanating from her words. Josie felt the guiltiest about Hazel. Her best friend. She knew the most about Josie's secret romance and would assume that Josie had been part of this all along. She knew it would be Josies fault. This whole thing. The death of Dumbledore. She would never forgive her. It brought a tear to Josie's eye that she subtly wiped away.

"Wait. Just wait it out. Remember what Harry said. This is it" Ron said.

"Everything will be fine" Josie managed to say, before, through the darkness, a door appeared on the wall of the room of requirement, which slowly swung open.

Josie reached into the pocket of her robes and withdrew a package of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, holding it in her hand until the time was right. In just a few moments, Josie's life would change forever.

The silhouette of Draco, exited through the recently appeared door, and she saw that in his hand, he held the Hand of Glory – the thing that allowed the carrier to see through the Dark.

Josie looked to Hazel, making eye contact and in that briefest of seconds, she wanted Hazel to know that this wasn't what she wanted.

"Jo….." Hazel begun, but Josie had dropped the powder on the floor, creating instant darkness. Draco reached Josie in a matter of seconds and took her hand as he ran from the corridor. Josie turned as she ran, hand in hand with her fiancé and pointed her wand in the direction of her friends, casting a stunning spell that would prevent them from being hurt by the death eaters she was sure were now exiting the room behind them.

"Good idea" Draco said to her, as they slowed to a walk.

"The rest are in the corridor outside Snape's office" she said, catching her breath.

"There are others here. Order of the Phoenix members" Draco said.

Josie simply nodded, wondering how she might survive this on the side of the dark.

Hand and hand with Draco, she walked towards the highest tower of the tallest part of the castle, the astronomy tower.

"How do you know he'll be there?" she asked Draco.

"Snape" Draco said, as they kept walking, footsteps echoing behind them. "Also…" Draco added, pointing out a window to the sky above the tower. Josie looked out the open window, into the night and saw the eerie glow of the Dark Mark, hovering above the Astronomy Tower, signalling the exact location of the rendezvous point.

"Its…" she said, uncertain as to which words fit the creepy nature of the glow.

"I know. Come on, we need to hurry" he said, as they hurried in the direction of the tower.

The death eaters were now held up, having met some members of the Order of the Phoenix along the way in the corridors. Draco and Josie were lucky not to have encountered any. A sign that perhaps _luck_ was on their side.

"You better do this right, Draco. The Dark Lord is counting on you" came the voice of Snape. Josie made eye contact with him and he simply glared in her direction as they made their way to the base of the tower.

Draco made to let go of Josie's hand, however she refused to relinquish the contact.

"No way, I'm coming with you. I'll be by your side Draco. Through all of it" she said, earning a nod from Snape.

Draco and Josie climbed the spiralling staircase and entered the topmost section of the tower. Upon seeing Dumbledore, Josie wordlessly cast the '_expelliarmus' _spell and separated the headmaster from his wand, leaving Draco free to do what he needed to.

Josie looked around the room, knowing that Harry would have to have been with Dumbledore. He had gone with him on the mission and logic said he would have returned with him.

"Where is my brother?" she asked the headmaster.

"I am alone" he replied.

"I don't believe you" she said.

"Are _you_ both acting alone tonight?" Dumbledore asked. He appeared to be somewhat impaired by something that Josie could not identify. Was he ill?

"I have back up" Draco said. "The death eaters are in your school" he added.

Josie continued looking around for her brother. She sensed he was here. She knew it. Somehow, she just knew. She figured he must be under the cloak, immobilised obviously, as he would not stay still and allow this to unfold.

She missed parts of the back and forth between the headmaster and her fiancé as she looked around for a slight shimmer in the air that would indicate where Harry was standing. She could not see one.

"Well then, dear boy, you must get on and do it" Dumbledore said,

This was it. They would accomplish their mission and the Malfoy's would be reunited again. Draco would repay the family's debt and he could leave. They wouldn't even have to take part in any further fighting unless they wanted to. They could just run off together after this.

Josie had made up her mind.

"You're not a killer Draco" Dumbledore said.

"How would you know?" Draco spat back, trying to sound tough, although Josie could see the fear in his face, hear it in his voice, feel it in the way he held her hand. "You don't know what I'm capable of" he added.

"I do know. You almost killed Katie Bell and Ron Weasley. You've been trying to kill me all year with increasing desperation. Quite feeble attempts I must say, especially with Miss Potter by your side, I thought the two of you would have come up with something a little more effective" Dumbledore said.

"This is effective. This is it" Josie said.

"Miss Potter, you're no more a killer than I a death eater" Dumbledore said.

"Well, you have to do things for the ones you love. Things you don't want to do. Isn't that right, Draco?" she asked, almost manically.

Draco simply nodded.

At the sound of a muffled yell, Josie jumped.

"Perhaps you ought to get on with the job, Draco. What if your back up has been thwarted by my guard? You don't really need additional help. I have no wand, no means to defend myself" he said.

Draco's wand was aimed at the headmaster, but he did not move or speak.

"I see. You're afraid to act until you are joined by your fellow death eaters?" he asked.

"How do you know…?" he asked, looking down at his left arm. "Never mind, it doesn't matter".

"Come on Draco, we need to leave" Josie said, still hopeful for one last interaction with her brother before she became one of _them_.

"Miss Potter. Josie. Please enlighten me, as we await my imminent demise, how did you manage to become entangled in this mess?" Dumbledore asked.

"Draco and I…" she began, tears filling her eyes at the confession she was about to give in front of her invisible brother, the one she had grown up with, idolised, cherished. He would hate her. She needed to do this, needed to set things straight before the end. Before it was too late. "We've been together for a while. Draco isn't… he… This isn't his choice. Its not either of ours. I helped him repair the vanishing cabinet…" she said.

"Oh, I see, it has a twin?" Dumbledore asked.

"Borgin and Bourkes. That's how they got into the castle tonight" Draco said.

"At first, I didn't know what I was helping with…" Josie continued, trying to get as much information across to her brother as she could. "… I just knew that Draco was suffering, and it killed me to see. I… I didn't want to be in the side of the dark. I hated that this stupid war had pulled him in, but he had no choice. If not me, then Draco would have been alone" she said.

"Not entirely true, Draco had Professor Snape watching over him"

"On my mothers orders" Draco said.

"Again, not entirely correct. I trust Professor Snape, I had him watch over you both" Dumbledore said.

"Your trust is misplaced. Snape is loyal to Voldemort" Josie said.

"We must agree to differ on that subject. Professor Snape and I have an understanding" Dumbledore said. "Now please, let us discuss your options dear boy" Dumbledore said.

"Options? I have no options. I have to do this. He'll kill me. He'll kill Josie and he'll kill my entire family" Draco said, tears gleaming in his eyes.

"I can help you Draco" he said.

"No you cant. Nobody can" Draco said.

"Come over to the right side, you're not a killer. Neither of you are. You'll be safe with the Potters" Dumbledore said.

"You mean the Blacks? The ones who haven't taken a minute of their precious lives to wonder what their daughter's been up to. They don't care. About me, about Draco, about any of this. My mother and Sirius are always off on some mission of yours and you've had Harry all tied up with it now too. I'm nothing. To any of them. But I am something... To Draco. That's why we're going to get this over and done with and we're leaving" Josie said.

At the sound of an explosion, footsteps came thundering up the stairs and the door burst open.

At the sight of Professor Snape, Dumbledore appeared to relax a little, collapsing somewhat against the railing.

"Severus… Please… Our agreement" Dumbledore said.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

A jet of green light shot from the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore directly in the chest. Josie stood in stunned silence, watching as if in slow motion, the body of Dumbledore fell backwards, over the railing and out of sight, into the night.

"Let's go. Now!" Snape said, pulling Draco by the collar.

"Harry, I… Please don't hate me" Josie called into the air as she departed the tower and into her future.

As she ran down the stairs and blindly made her way through the castle, she thought she could hear her name being called. She looked back and saw jets of red light heading towards her and cast a shield to protect both herself and Draco.

She ran, hand in hand with Draco down through the castle, dodging hexes and spells, throwing up shields as she went. At the foot of the marble staircase, Josie lost grip of Draco's hand as he tripped on a statue that had appeared to have been used as a shield.

She stood in the middle of the entrance hall, Draco was now on his feet and Snape was out the door, making his way to the edge of the castle grounds.

She glimpsed at Harry, who had now caught up, looked to Hazel who was standing, staring in fear at her best friend.

"Josie! Don't do this. He killed him. He'll kill you too as soon as he's had the opportunity. Stay with us" Harry said, holding his wand aimed at Draco, looking out the huge oak doors to where Snape had just run.

"Harry, I… I have to go. I can't. Please, forgive me. This isn't what we wanted" she said, taking Draco's hand and running out through the doors in the same direction as Snape.

They caught up with Snape halfway through the grounds and he called to them, "Apparate to the Manor, I'll meet you there", before he turned to face the oncoming attack of Harry.

When Josie and Draco reached the edge of the grounds, they stood for a second, Draco took her face in his hands and kissed her once.

"This is it. If you do this, if you come with me now, there is no going back. They'll brand you; you'll be a death eater. This is your decision my love" he said.

"I already made up my mind Draco" she said, kissing him back once and holding him tight as he disapparated them both, far away from the chaos of the castle.

* * *

**AN - The following chapters assume that the reader knows the canon version of events. Loads of assumptions. Not going to rewrite perfection. **


	18. A new type of life

**AN - So happy for the new readers to this amazing story. This chapter will jump across different perspectives and through time a little. Please let me know if it doesn't make sense and i'll reorder it. I wanted to move away from Josie for a bit. **

**Enjoy. **

* * *

"Where are we up to on the hunt?" Lily asked Sirius.

"No progress. No sign of the sword at all" he said, as Lily wrapped an arm around him from behind. She glanced down at the papers that were laid out on the huge table before them and frowned at their lack of progress. Surely they'd have completed far more than this by now? "Harry's due back in an hour" he added.

It had been 7 months since they had seen Josie, and while initially, all their efforts went on finding their daughter, they were now spending their time on the mission that Dumbledore had set for them before his death.

When the family arrived back from Hogwarts shortly after Dumbledore's funeral, they sat down with whatever remaining members of the Order they could find and began making plans.

The Order of the Phoenix members would gather regularly and discuss plans for an ambush, to locate Josie, continue with Dumbledore's mission and end Voldemort's reign, however, after only 2 months, Lily's house was destroyed in an attack, putting a halt on any plans they had. During the attack, Mad Eye Moody was killed, and several other members of the Order were injured.

It had taken a lot, but the family had decided, with no alternate options, to move to Sirius's childhood home in Grimmauld Place, in central London.

Initially, Lily had sunk into a dark place, staying in bed, not showering, not caring for her children, relying on Sirius and Harry for almost everything. She couldn't cope, couldn't imagine a world where one of her children, one that almost lost her life before she was even born, to Voldemort, was on the side of evil.

Lily had spent a month in bed before waking one day and realising that she could wallow in her depression, she could spend all her time in sadness, crying about a daughter who she had failed to protect, failed to notice, failed to _see_, or she could get up, make plans, clean the dark magic out of the house and focus on putting things right.

It took another month of scrubbing, cleaning and sorting of junk, in both the muggle way and the medical way, before the house resembled anything other than an evil old building full of hatred and fear.

By the time Lily was done with it, it was light, airy and void of doxys, pixies, boggarts and any forms of dark magic. The portrait of Sirius mother, which had been placed in the most central part of the hall many years ago, was removed by taking out the entire wall and rebuilding it altogether. Initially, the occupants of Grimmauld place had to creep around, avoid disturbing the portrait so she wouldn't scream obscenities at them. For Carina and Lyra, it was something they couldn't comprehend – a member of their biological family not liking them. They were Blacks by blood. According to them, they should have been loved unconditionally. It was the opinion of Walburga Black, however that the girls were stains on the name, muddying the Black name with their mother's muggle blood.

It was a blessing when the portrait was gone forever.

By September, the family was ready to put all of their focus on finding Josie. Not that they hadn't been, or they hadn't wanted to, but it had become difficult given Lily's state of mind.

On the 2nd of September, Harry received an owl from Ginny that would alter their immediate plans.

_Dear Harry,  
I know you and I are over, and I accept that. I do not accept the reasons behind it, in fact I think you're mental. We finally got to a good place and…. Whatever… Anyway, I am writing to update you on the state of things at Hogwarts.  
Josie is here. Please tell your parents so they stop the crazy search for her. I couldn't believe it when I saw her on the train yesterday but there she was. I couldn't get near her of course. She won't even talk to me, won't look at me. She has bloody body guards with her at all times and she now sleeps in the Head Boy and Girl room with Malfoy. Yep, you guessed it, they both made Head boy and girl. What a joke. He's a tosser and an evil git and Josie's just blinded by either the imperious or whatever he has in his pants that makes him so intriguing. The thing is Harry, when the announcement was made about who the heads were, Snape called her Josie Malfoy. Malfoy! Surely they haven't gotten married? Please tell your mum. If she checks your family tapestry, it will show whether or not Josie is now a Malfoy. Why would she do this? She's only 15. How could she? Really? There's no way she could legally have gotten married. I will make it my mission to talk to her. Find out once and for all what the hell is going on.  
Snape is headmaster. Its horrendous. I've been back a day and he has already changed everything. There are two new professors, the Carrows, brother and sister, who are on control of everything. Snape announced at the feast that they'll be using the Crutiatis curse on students who step out of line. I really don't know how I feel about that. Its fucking barbaric.  
I just… I don't know if I'll be able to write to you much more. I don't want this to lead anybody to you. I want you to be safe. Harry, once this is all over, I want us to be together again.  
I know your family is on some mission that Dumbledore left you and I ok with that. Just please, be safe.  
I love you always,  
Ginevra_

The letter was both a reprieve and a very disturbing piece of information for the family. Upon reading over Ginny's letter to Harry, Lily immediately checked the family tree, noticing that in fact, Josie was now connected to the Malfoy family tree with a marital bond to Draco Malfoy. Lily had exploded over the information.

"She's fifteen years old! Who in their right mind would allow such a thing?" she screamed.

"Oh, I don't know, Malfoy's?" Sirius asked.

"How on earth can this be legal? It can't. The family tree is wrong" she said.

"It's not possible. Family trees are ancient magic. They can't be fooled Lily. Its real. They have probably invoked old wizarding laws for the ceremony which negates the need for the bride's family's approval. That means, a girl of any _age_ can be married… As long as…" he said.

"What? As long as what Sirius?" Lily asked.

"As long as she willingly consents. Without mind tampering" he said.

"So you're saying that she went into this willingly?" Lily asked.

"That's the only way" he said.

"She's just a child" Lily sighed, relenting and falling into the arms of her husband.

Harry didn't hear from Ginny after that. He didn't hear from any of his friends who were at Hogwarts. Harry knew that out of all the people he knew, the Longbottoms had returned, as did Ron and Ginny. Hermione had fled the country with her parents, not letting anyone know where she had gone, but sending muggle post cards to him in the mail to a post box that Harry had purchased.

It was now December and Lily was focused on the mission at hand.

She passed the cup of firewhiskey she held in her hand to Sirius who was looking over the papers spread out over the table.

"What is next on the list? Where do we go from here?" she asked.

"We need something to destroy the horcruxes with" Sirius said.

"I thought for sure we'd find something here" Lily said.

"This house was full of dark objects, that's for sure, but none dark enough for this" he said, pulling Helga Hufflepuff's cup down from a shelf, tossing it from one hand to the other while it let out a slight squeal.

"I still think we should keep these with us. If something happens, if we have to leave… we can't leave these behind, not after everything.

"No way, not after how they affected you. You're never laying a hand on them again" Sirius said.

"I just… After everything we did to find them, to finally realise the truth about these pieces of _his_ soul… We can not lose them. If something happens Siri…" she said.

"Lil, just stay on track. Stay focused. We have the locket and the cup, the diary and the ring were destroyed by Dumbledore, if we're correct in our assumptions, the lost diadem of Ravenclaw is the only one we need to find and then we just destroy the snake. We just need the sword…" Sirius said.

"Or basilisk venom" she said.

"Or basilisk venom, which is impregnated into the sword" Sirius said. "My point is, we are so close, we have come so far. There are so many wards around this house, not a single entity can enter this house. You created them. We will be fine here. This is the safest place on earth" he said. He was right. There was no way that anybody could get in, apart from them. Lily had created wards that were designed on their blood. The only people who could even see the house were herself, Sirius, Harry, Lyra and Carina. She had used their blood for the spell to set the wards. It was completely impenetrable.

"It would be nice to have visitors…" Lily said, thinking about how badly she missed her friends.

"Mum…" came the voice of Lyra from the hall.

Lily looked up at her daughter, standing in the entry way, hand on her hip, expectant look on her face. Lyra's long red curly hair was pulled back into a messy bun and she had a pencil poking through her hair.

Lily raised an eyebrow at her daughter, waiting for her to continue with whatever demand it was she had this day.

"Break time is over. You wanted to keep on the schedule… its time for transfiguration" she said.

"Its Christmas… No school on Christmas" Lily said, hoping to get out of it.

"It's the 20th mum, its not Christmas. You-Know-Who doesn't take breaks. I need to learn. I need to fight. Time to talk is over. Its time to get on with it" she said, attitude radiating off the 13-year-old girl.

"That it is…" she said, turning to Sirius and rolling her eyes before leaving the kitchen to tend to her twin girls to complete their education.

Lily had decided, as soon as the decision was made to keep the girls' home from school, that she would home school them. Between herself, Sirius and Harry, Lyra and Carina's education would continue. Excel, even. Some days she wished for a break, but when her daughters expressed their absolute desire to learn, to grow and to thrive, she couldn't think of a reason to hold back.

She walked up the stairs and into the library which was set up as a classroom. Her girls were all too eager to learn about the complexities of transfiguration. Today's lesson was about Animagi, something she was all too eager to teach them.

* * *

xx-xx

* * *

Josie sat on the sofa in the room she now shared with Draco at Hogwarts. It had been a long day and she was glad for the holidays to begin.

Her travelling case sat beside the door, next to Draco's, awaiting the moment where they would floo to Malfoy Manor.

"Being head girl does have its perks" she muttered to herself and she glanced across the room to the large mirror that reflected her face back to her.

She did not want to be trapped on a train all day with no where to go, no where to hide if the Longbottom's or the Weasleys attempted to corner her again. As it was, she had someone go with er everywhere she went these days. Crabbe and Goyle were basically her bodyguards, not allowing anyone apart from Draco within 15 feet of her. She hated them. She hated the way they spoke, the way they ate, the way they did everything. At mealtimes, she sat at the Head student table, which didn't exist before now. She thought that it was Snape's way of keeping her away from the Gryffindors. In a way, she was grateful. She missed her friends, particularly Hazel, but the life she made for herself was with Draco now.

Draco entered the room from the corridor and sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. AN exasperated motion that she had come see as something he did constantly.

"Everything ok?" she asked.

"I can't help them. Not all of them. They need to stop" he said.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Your friends. They've been fighting back. They just need to stop and things will settle" he said

"I know, but they're fighters" she said.

"Bloody Gryffindors" he said with an attempt at a laugh. There hadn't been much of that lately.

"If I could… I would try…" she said.

"I know, but you know what we were told. No contact" he said sadly.

"I remember" she said, standing to put her arms around him.

"Ready to go?" he asked after a while in each others arms.

"Not sure if I want to go to _him_ or stay here with _them_. But either way I'm packed" she said.

"I'll do what I can to make sure he stays away. I promise" he said as he kissed her temple.

Draco collected their bags in one hand and took Josie's hand with the other as they left the room. Theirs was close to the headmaster's office, so the walk was quick. At the bottom of the stairs, they came across one of the newest professors, who Josie hated beyond belief – Alecto Carrow.

"Well well, if it isn't the dark lords' favourite newlyweds" she said, tapping her wand on her hand.

"Do you need something, professor? We're heading home for the holidays" Draco said, feigning politeness.

"I need to know what it is you did that has placed you in such good standing with the dark lord. He likes you, Draco, and your little half-blood wife. What have you done to please him so?" she asked.

Josie thought about this. It was true. Somehow, Voldemort had become Draco and Josie's biggest fan. He personally attended their wedding and gifted them with an entire vault of galleons as well as some incredibly rare and valuable jewels. Not that they needed it, as Josie discovered upon her wedding that the Malfoy's are the second richest family in all of Wizarding Britain, second only to the Blacks of course whose wealth, combined with the now defunct Potters, was greater than anyone could gather or spend in several lifetimes. Perhaps that was why no one batted an eye at the unusual pairing. Josie couldn't be after Draco's money as she had more than enough of her own.

"The Dark Lord appreciates those who work hardest to serve him, professor, now if you'll excuse us, we have to be going" Draco said, pulling Josie with him up the gargoyle staircase.

And serve him they had. As it turned out, Draco and Josie's mission was not complete when they had returned from Hogwarts following the death of Dumbledore. Voldemort had put them to task on the attack on Josie's family home, which they carried out successfully. It pained Josie to do, however, upon making sure they would not be in the home, she coordinated the attack, making sure only minor casualties resulted. Of course the Order had been tipped off and they attended the battle. The death of Mad-Eye-Moody was unavoidable and deeply regretted. Josie grieved for the man as if he were her own family.

She shook herself out of the memory as they stood before the headmaster Snape.

"Your occlumency?" he was asking.

"It is up to scratch" she answered.

"Up to scratch won't do. It needs to be perfect" he said, rounding the table and standing before her. He pulled his wand out of the sleeve of his robe and before she had a chance to prepare, he was invading her mind. She immediately brought the most irrelevant memories to the forefront of her mind, shutting the important things right at the back in a place she knew could never be accessed even the most skilled legillimens. She brought forward memories of Voldemort that showed him in a compassionate light, ones that demonstrated his talents, his power and his generosity. She recalled some vague slivers of her childhood, unimportant facts that were of no consequence as well as memories from the year before, the cabinet, Dumbledore…

"Very good. I'm sure your level is adequate for the Dark Lord to believe" Snape said. She could have sworn he saw a small smile across his face. "Draco?" he asked.

"As perfect as ever professor" Draco answered.

"We'll see" he said as he pointed his wand at Josie's husband. She watched as Draco narrowed his eyes at the headmaster. After a while, he stopped and stepped back around his desk.

"The dark lord will be pleased. And disturbed. Besotted is a word I'm tempted to use. He'll simply find it amusing, I believe" Snape said. Josie just looked to Draco and smiled. "Ahh, young romance" he said after a while.

Josie wondered which of their memories he had shown. She thought back to several of her own memories from the past few years. The ones from the last 7 months were the most amazing memories she had accumulated yet.

* * *

xx-xx

* * *

_**7 months earlier**_

Josie opened her eyes as the spinning feeling stopped. He was standing outside of an enormous black wrought iron gate that was emblazoned with a magnificent M. This was surely Malfoy Manor. Her heart was still beating faster than she had ever thought possible, which was not surprising given the way in which they had just fled Hogwarts Castle.

"Do you think we'll ever go back?" she asked.

"Hard to say. There is so much to consider now. Best to just take it as it comes" Draco said. "Are you ready?" he added.

"Of course I am" she answered.

"This is it. Once you meet him, once you're in, that's it. You're in and theres no out" he said.

Josie swallowed hard and thought for a moment whether she should slap Draco for not taking her word for it, each time he had asked her already that night, or kiss him for being so considerate, so willing to let her go in order to maintain her light, her goodness.

"Draco, this is it. You are it for me. Lets just get this over and done with" she said.

Draco waved his wand in a diagonal direction across the gate, which made no sound. It didn't unlock, click, move or change it appearance in any way, however, Draco led Josie forward, and the two of them walked through the metal as though it were not there. Josie looked back in awe as they walked down the perfectly paved driveway that Josie guessed was never used.

The yard was immaculate, what she could see of it anyway, in the dark. There were a few orbs of light placed uniformly around what appeared to be some gardens and she thought she saw flamingo statues near where they walked.

"This driveway is very long" she said.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I can apparate directly into the Manor, there's a ward set up, but your magic needs to be tuned to it. We'll work on that later" he said.

"Draco, I won't be apparating anywhere. I'm 15. Barely. I still have 2 years before I can even use magic outside of Hogwarts" she said.

"That won't be an issue. There are no traces on the Manor" he said with a smile as he looked to her.

"Well, that's a relief" she said, feeling grateful that she wouldn't be living like a muggle for the next 2 years.

They reached the front steps of the Manor which, now that she was close, looked more like a castle. She paused to look up into the grand building and even in the dark, it was incredible.

"Its big, but trust me, its not that impressive when you consider the company" Draco said.

Josie shrugged as she climbed the stairs and stood before the huge double doors. Draco tapped his wand on the door and the door swung open.

"What, we not going to walk straight through the wood?" she asked.

Draco smiled and shook his head, leading her through the entryway, into a grand foyer and through to what appeared to be a grand ballroom.

"Draco…" she whispered, unsure of how to put into words the great impression the manor was making on her.

"Its nothing" he said. Josie thought his mannerisms had become more tense, forced. The Draco she knew and loved was there still, but the person who was holding onto her hand was someone slightly different. His tone was clipped, his brow furrowed and his whole posture changed. This was aristocrat Draco. Pure blood, Slytherin, rich boy… no, rich _man_, Draco. Josie hoped she would love this version of him too.

Draco and Josie walked towards a large dark wooden door and Darco stopped with his hand on the handle and turned to Josie.

"I love you, ok?" he asked.

"I love you too Draco" she said, reaching up on tip toes to kiss him.

They were soon disrupted by the footsteps of Professor Snape behind them. He didn't stop to make small talk before he reached for the handle, forcing Draco to remove his hand, and opened it himself. As the door opened, it revealed a large formal dining room, with a fireplace and a long table that, at first glance, easily sat 20 people.

Snape entered and Josie watched as he inclined his head, almost in a bow, towards the head of the table. She could not see who was seated there, but she could guess. Snape took a seat near the head of the table as Draco and Josie entered.

Josie felt the awkward way all eyes in the room fell on her. Draco copied Snape's slight bow and Josie, assuming it was the right thing to do, did so aswell. When she righted herself again, she made eye contact with the man who sat at the head of the table.

She held in a gasp when she saw him. He was tall but not because of his proper posture, he appeared to be just naturally taller than everyone else. His skin was pale, paler than anyone she had seen before, and his eyes were bright red. His nose was almost non-existent, except for slits on his face. He had no hair and his ears were nothing but small holes in each side of his head. She could easily compare him to a giant snake. She remembered that he was a highly skilled ligilimens, so she ceased her mental dictation of his appearance and brought forward the memories she has just made at Hogwarts.

"Ahh, our young lovers" came the high-pitched voice that Josie had not expected. "Draco, such accomplishment with very little instruction. And Miss Potter I take it?" he said.

"Josie, please" she said, closing the distance between herself and the darkest wizard to ever live and extending her hand.

"Josie Potter. How delightful to meet you at long last. I have heard wonderful things from Narcissa" he said, taking her hand in his own and nodding his head slightly before releasing her.

Draco's mother sat half way down the table, not looking up from her hands which were knotted on the table in front of her.

"Please, be seated" Voldemort said, indicating to the seats that were 2 spaces down from where he sat.

Josie was shocked to find herself sitting so close to the head of the table. She knew very little about pure blood ways, but she was certain that seating arrangements, particularly in relation to meetings where there were so many in attendance, was incredibly important.

Once the commotion of the new arrivals had settled down, Snape was asked to tell his version of events, followed by Draco. The story telling went on for quite a while and Josie had to, at one point, wordlessly case a rennervate spell on herself to wake up.

"What say you, Miss Potter?" asked Voldemort.

"I don't have anything to add I'm afraid. The story as I saw it is exactly as Draco told it" she said.

"And what of you family?" asked a death eater.

"Yeah, she's a Potter aint she?" asked another.

"That's not…" Draco began, but Josie placed a hand on his arm, halting his retort.

"That is of no consequence. My loyalties are to Draco" she said, looking around the table, almost challenging them to question her.

"And what about the Dark Lord?" asked another.

"My loyalties are to Draco and they align with his" she said confidently.

"I can attest to this. The two have been inseparable for more than a year. In fact, I have witnessed firsthand Miss Potter's withdrawal from her family and have it under good authority that she has been becoming further and further isolated from the Potters and the Blacks throughout the last two years" Snape said.

"Whose authority Severus?" Voldemort questioned.

"Lily Black, nee Potter, nee Evans" he said.

"Ahh, the lovey red haired witch who was my downfall" he said.

"We are also due to be married, my lord" Draco said, taking her hand and placing it upon the table for everyone to see the ring he had placed on her hand.

"Beautiful" she heard Narcissa whisper. Josie cast her a smile which was returned.

"Very well, very well. Given the age of Miss Potter… apologies, Josie, a hasty traditional ceremony will have to take place. Narcissa, how soon can you make the arrangements?" Voldemort asked.

"I will make the arrangements within the month my lord" Draco's mother said.

Josie sat open mouthed, shocked at the announcement of her own wedding date. A month. She loved Draco and agreed to marry him, and her intentions were still to be married to him, however, the speed at which she would become the next Mrs Malfoy, was slightly daunting.

The table discussions continued until a meal was delivered. Draco excused himself and Josie, as they had already eaten.

Draco led Josie on a tour of the Manor, which Josie was certain she'd forget.

"Its almost as big as Hogwarts itself" she said.

"Nowhere near" he answered, leading her into the vast library.

"This is incredible. How do you ever leave this place?" she asked, perusing the shelves and seeing titled she had never even dreamt of.

"If I could leave and never come back, I would" he said sadly.

"Surely life here hasn't been all bad?" she asked, pulling him into a hug.

"Now its not" he said, looking down into her face, pushing a stray hair behind her ear.

"So, the uh… sleeping arrangements?" she asked.

"Very proper, I'm afraid" he said. "I'll show you to your room" he said, leaving behind what would be Josie's favourite place so far.

* * *

xx-xx

* * *

Josie woke the following day to the sun shining brightly in her window. It must have been late, as it appeared as though the sun was higher in the sky than it should have been if it were early morning.

"Good morning" came the soothing voice of Narcissa Malfoy.

"Good Godric, you scared me" Josie said, sitting up with a fright.

"Apologies child, I thought it was best we have a talk before you get carried away with my son" she said.

"Of course" she answered.

"You're still prepared to marry my son? After everything you've had to do for him thus far?" she asked, quite direct for having woken up such a short time ago.

"Of course. Absolutely. I understand Draco. It's not just some crush" she said, feeling slightly offended that, after everything, someone would doubt her feelings or her intentions towards Draco.

"I don't doubt it, I can see the way you look at each other. I had to ask. You understand why, don't you?" she asked.

"My family?" Josie asked.

"And the sudden need for your wedding to occur quickly" Narcissa said.

"Why is that?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"For you to live in the Manor, have information that you wouldn't normally have, sit at the table with the dark lord, you need to be married or marked" she said.

"So its marry Draco or take the dark mark?" she asked, answered with a nod from the Malfoy Matriarch. "That's fine. I agreed to marry Draco. I want to be with him for the rest of our lives. Today, tomorrow, next month, next year. I'll marry him regardless, Misses Malfoy".

Narcissa smiled and carefully clasped her hands together.

"Well that's that then. You shall call me Narcissa, or mother if you prefer. I'll have our house elf Deely bring you a selection of dresses and Tooley will begin making the arrangements. How do you feel about the twentieth of June?" she asked casually, as if they were arranging a lunch.

"That's fine by me" Josie said.

* * *

xx-xx

* * *

June rolled by quicker than Josie could have ever anticipated. She had spent every day by Draco's side, only asked to leave while he entered into meetings as she was not yet marked or married. Her argument that she was as good as married was not acknowledged by anybody, least of all Voldemort. She didn't mind, as she spent the time in the library, reading up on things she never knew existed.

Over the course of the month, Josie made a conscious effort to position herself in places she knew Voldemort would frequent, in order to remain at the forefront of his mind at all times. She hated him beyond belief but felt that if she could build some kind of rapport with him, find some common ground, she could find something to focus on to continue living on the side of darkness.

One day, just a few days before the wedding, Josie was reading in the library while Draco burnt off some energy on his broom. She was completely enthralled in a book about alchemy and its role in immortality and didn't notice Voldemort enter the library and claim the chair across from her, watching her as she took in the words of the text like they were oxygen. As she shifted her position and stretched her arms and neck, she jumped at the sight of him.

"Merlin, you startled me" she said, straightening up.

"Apologies, I was truly captivated by the way you were entranced in that book" he said.

"Its an amazing read. I can't believe I haven't really read up much on alchemy. So much to learn really" she said.

"What do you take from it then?" he asked, placing his fingertips together and leaning forward, elbows on his knees.

Josie spent the next several hours discussing the potentials of alchemy with Voldemort, at several points completely forgetting that he was in fact, the darkest wizard to ever exist. She learnt a lot from what he knew and the conversation they engaged in was purely intellectual. He didn't engage with her as though she were 15, he spoke with her as if she were an equal.

It was this day that Josie realised, Voldemort may be evil, he may be capable of terrible things, but underneath all of that lied the complexities of childhood trauma, neglect, abuse and questions relating to his own identity. Josie hoped that she could spend more time with this incredibly confounding man, get to know him and uncover his true intentions. As it stood, Voldemort's claim was that he desired witches and wizards to be free, practice magic out in the open and hold power over muggles. He desired a world where muggles were scarce, and wizards were the dominant ones. Josie felt that perhaps, there was something completely different that he was seeking, and the desire for power was a symptom of something deeper.

The next day, Josie was invited to sit with Voldemort at meals, something which, until then, had been restricted to the closest members of the Dark Order.

* * *

The day of the 20th arrived with perfect weather. The dress was perfect, the veil attached beautifully. Josie's normally straight hair was curled into soft waves that cascaded down her back and she applied subtle natural make up that accentuated her features just enough.

The ceremony was attended by Draco's closest family, which included his recently released father, his mother, and a couple of people Josie hadn't ever met, including the psychologically impaired Bellatrix Lestrange, who wasn't shy in voicing her opinion on the marriage of her nephew to a Potter.

Voldemort himself presided over the event, which shocked Josie. She was saddened to be spending her wedding day with none of her own family members around her, however, she knew that it just wasn't possible. Perhaps when all of this is over, and her family forgives her and understands why she did what she did then they can renew their vows and have a real wedding.

A spell was cast over Josie and Draco to ensure that they were freely and willingly entering into the marriage as Josie was not yet of age. Weddings were always held once the couple had reached the age of 17 however, Josie had discovered, over the last two weeks that a witch or wizard can enter into a marriage at any age, as long as they are of sound mind and enter willingly. The spells to confirm this of course are complex and Josie was intrigued to discover how much so.

Once the ceremony was over and Josie was officially married to Draco, Voldemort announced the new Mr and Mrs Malfoy, presented them with their elaborate gift from him and retired to his room for the night. The ball that ensued was attended by many death eaters, friends of Draco's and some cousins, aunts and uncles and family members of Draco's who probably fit into more than one category of family member.

Josie tried her hardest to enjoy herself. She had her first dance with her husband, cut her cake, smiled politely an said all the right things. She had proven herself worthy of the aristocratic lifestyle. She looked, dressed and acted the part. The fact that she _was_ a Potter would soon be forgotten and she would forever be _one of them_.

The music was getting to be a little much for Josie and she made her way to the bathroom to have a few minutes of peace. She slipped away mostly unnoticed and was relieved when the bathroom was unoccupied. The bathroom itself was the size of the Gryffindor common room, however, the colour scheme was all black tiles and deep greens.

Josie took a seat on the seat in the corner of the room and placed her head between her knees. She knew she had done the right thing. Narcissa liked her, Draco loved her. Hell, even Voldemort liked her. Lucius was warming to her and the only one she was yet to win over was Narcissa's sister and Voldemort's closest female death eater – Bellatrix. She hoped it would be easy.

Josie stood to leave fixing her hair with her wand in the mirror before turning to the door. As she unlocked the door, it flew open towards her, knocking her back, causing her to land on the floor, sending her wand skating towards the door.

When she stood and straightened her dress, Rodolphus Lestrange, the husband of Bellatrix, was standing before her, the door to the bathroom closed, Josie's wand in his hand.

Josie didn't say a word, just looked to him, to her wand and to the door.

"You know, in ancient times, when a witch married into a family, the senior members of the family would designate one man to confirm the purity of the witch" he said, insanity emanating from him, most likely from years spent in Azkaban. "Now, given that Lucius does not have the capacity to do it himself, I am the one who the responsibility would naturally fall to" he added. Josie took a step back, coming into contact with the chair she had sat on a minute earlier.

"Aren't we lucky that we're not in ancient times?" she said, moving in sideways steps to make her way to the door and hopefully retrieve her wand in the process.

The look on the face of this deranged killer was manic, psychotic. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand and her stomach churn when he took a step towards her.

"You invoked ancient traditions to make sure you could marry at your age, you can't shun other traditions just as you see fit now can you?" he asked.

"Draco won't allow it" she said, feeling bile rise in her throat.

"What Draco doesn't know…" he said, coming towards her and stopping directly in front of her. She could smell the fire whisky on his breath.

"Will hurt him when he finds out" she said.

"The dark lord won't allow retaliation. Its not proper. Draco will understand once he is aware of the tradition" he said, taking one of Josies curls in his hand and bringing it to his nose. "Much nicer than my wife's mangey mess" he said.

Josie tried to pull away but he took a fistful of her curls and dragged her towards him, smacking her against his muscular frame. Tears sprang to her eyes when she realised that not only was she wandless, she was physically weaker and there was no way she would overpower him and get away.

"You can't do this. Vold… the Dark Lord… He won't agree to this" she sobbed, trying to pull free. He now had hold of her wrist and was pulling her towards the seat. He threw her down, ripping her dress in the process as he tried to get his hands underneath the layers.

"Stupid fucking dress… stop struggling or I'll stun you" he muttered, as she struggled to get free.

She wished more than anything that she hadn't let her wand slip from her hand when she felt to the floor.

"Get off me. You have no idea... Draco will fucking kill you for this" she was now screaming.

"Shut up you pathetic half blood bitch. If you weren't so young, I wouldn't bother, but since you're bound to be nice and tight, I can't resist" he grunted as he continued struggling with her dress.

Josie kept fighting, despite the threat of being stunned, she would not let this happen to her. She managed to push him off her enough to get up and get to the door. The door opened with an explosion despite her not having case a spell and she ran through it into the hall. Rodolphus caught up to her and pushed her into the wall, causing her to fall. He threw himself on top of her, seeming now, not to care who came upon them.

"Get off me you disgusting fuck" she yelled, as he touched her any place he could with his grubby hands. Josie kept fighting, and she managed to get her knee up and rammed it into his crotch, making him cry out in pain.

"Fucking hell" he roared bringing his knees to his chest and rolling onto his side.

Josie stood and backed away as she glared at him. Her hair sparked and he began to choke. She continued to stare him down and his face began to turn blue. She couldn't care less in this moment if he died, however, when Narcissa and Draco entered the corridor she became distracted and the choking sounds stopped. She turned to Draco and ran into his arms as Narcissa bound Rodolphus with ropes and retrieved Josie's wand.

"Here you go dear. Draco, take her to her room" his mother said handing Josie her wand and levitating the struggling death eater down the hall.

Draco scooped Josie up into his arms and hurried off down the hall, to the room Josie hadn't expected to return to after they were married.

"What happened? What did he do to you?" Draco asked, holding her by her arms and looking her all over.

"He didn't do anything, he tried to… I fought him off" she said.

"What did he _try_ to do?" he asked. Josie could tell he was trying hard to hide his anger.

"He was going to try and fuck me, Draco. There. He said it was _tradition_. He said that someone from the family had to ensure my _purity_. Whatever the fuck that is. I stopped him and that's that" she said.

"I'll be back" he said, turning towards the door.

"Don't you leave me" she called after him. She didn't want to be alone.

"Josie, I can't just let this go. We're married. He tried to hurt you" he said.

"Yeah and he's a fucked up, deranged psychopath" she said.

"You don't understand. I have to do this. I have to deal with this" he said.

"I get it, it's about honour" she said.

"Damn right its about honour. He dis-fucking-respected me by trying to hurt you. He wanted to hurt _US_ to get us away from the table…" he roared. It was clear that he was not angry at Josie, but she sure felt that way. "TOOLEY" he called, summoning the house elf, who popped not the room immediately.

"Master Draco" she said.

"Keep an eye on Josie. Help her out of this dress and draw her a bath" he demanded, kissing Josie on the forehead before running out the door.

"Git" Josie said as Draco left her.

"Tooley will help Mistress with the buttons" she said to Josie.

"Mistress?" she asked, never having been called that by the elf before.

"Tooley serves Mistress Josie and Master Draco"

"You never called me mistress before" she said.

"Mistress was not mistress before" Tooley said, as though Josie was just expected to accept whatever change had just occurred.

"But now I am? Why, because I'm married?" Josie asked.

"Tooley was brought to the Manor when Master Draco was born. Tooley is bonded to Master Draco for life" she said as she snapped her fingers, causing the buttons down Josie's back to undo. "Mistress Josie is now bonded to Master Draco. Tooley now serves Mistress and Master the same" she said with a shrug.

Josie hated the thought of having her very own House Elf, but as she was helped out of her many, now tattered, layers of her dress, she resigned herself to the fact that this was just another part of Draco she had to accept.

Josie had been in the bath for almost an hour before Draco returned. He didn't talk about Lestrange and Josie didn't ask. He removed his robes and his underclothes and slid into the bath behind Josie, taking the bath sponge and carefully washing her back.

"So, Mrs Malfoy… are you ready for your wedding gift?" he asked her.

"You got me a gift? I… I haven't even been anywhere to get you anything. This isn't fair" she said, pouting.

"Don't worry, this is a gift from me to both of us. Come, lets get dressed and I'll show you" he said.

"I was thinking we stay in what we've got on" she suggested.

"Plenty of time for that, come" he said, hopping out of the bath and drying himself off with his wand.

Josie got out and stood still while he dried her with his wand. She got dressed in the plain, but expensive looking, robes that were laid out on the bed for her. They weren't there before, she assumed that Tooley was responsible.

When she was dressed, Draco took her by the hand and led her out of the room and down the hall. They walked through the halls of the Manor and Josie noticed that all of the wedding guests were now gone and Narcissa and Lucius were no where to be seen. They left the entry hall and left through the front doors.

"Where on earth are we going" Josie asked, wondering if they were going to leave.

"Not far, I promise" he said, as they walked around the eastern side of the house along a path. They walked for 5 or so minutes through the grounds that were lit up with actual fairies in the gardens, each flittering around the hedges and plants with a small lantern.

They rounded a bend in the garden and came upon a small cottage. There was a low picket fence surrounding a small front yard. The yard had a small garden in the front and two small steps that led up to a veranda. The door to the cottage had an intricately carved D and J emblazoned upon it.

When Josie walked in, she saw that it appeared to be a 2-bedroom cottage with its own kitchen and bathroom. The whole house itself was probably only slightly bigger than the Gryffindor common room, but to Josie, as soon as she saw it, it was perfect.

It had a fireplace that appeared to be large enough to be connected to the Floo network. There was a comfy looking sofa and a single chair which sat beside a bookshelf that took up the entire wall.

"The bookshelf has a portal to the library in the manor. You just have to put your hand there…" he indicated to a handle that she recognised from the library, "and say Portus and it will take you to the manor and back. It only recognised your magic and mine so no one else can pop in unannounced" he said. Josie was captivated.

He led her to the kitchen, showing her the cooling spell that had been cast on what Josie thought would ordinarily be a refrigerator.

"This is mostly for show. Tooley will still make us meals" he said.

"Oh, I don't know... I'd like to cook sometimes" she said

"You can cook?" he asked.

"Of course I can" she said.

"How do I not know these things about you?" he asked, pulling her into his arms.

"You never asked?" she suggested.

Draco released her and pulled her to a small hallway that led to a bathroom which had a tub the size of the one she had just been in at the Manor, a small guest bedroom that had a bed, a desk and a small cupboard and then on to the main bedroom, which had an enormous bed, a huge walk in closet and a TV.

"A TV?" she asked in delight.

"Well, we're far enough away from the main house that the magic shouldn't affect it" he said.

"A tv?!" she repeated.

"Yeah" he said, confused as to why this would be a bog deal to her.

"I can't believe this. This is too much Draco" she said, kissing him and pushing him back onto the bed.

Josie and Draco consummated their marriage on their brand new bed, in the home that he gifted her for their wedding. If she could remain in this moment forever, she would be the happiest she could ever be.

* * *

xx-xx

* * *

"You cast some pretty powerful magic the other night dear" Narcissa said.

"I… I don't know… I didn't want to kill him; I was just angry. It happens sometimes" Josie said, as she sat at the table for breakfast in the Manor a few days after the wedding.

"Wandless magic?" Narcissa asked a perfect eyebrow raised.

"Yeah"

"Tell me, can you control it?" she asked.

"Well, not really. Its odd because I normally have excellent control over my magic" Josie said.

"That's right, Josie has more magical control than most adults I've seen" Draco said, helping himself to some bacon and eggs.

"Hmm. It seems to be emotionally driven. I haven't seen anything like it in a long time, but if you let me, I can help you control it" the older witch said.

"I'd like that. Thank you", Josie said.

* * *

xx-xx

* * *

**August**

Josie landed in the living room of her cottage on the arm of Draco and threw up on the carpet.

"We have to go back Draco; I didn't see Lyra. She could have been in there still" Josie said, sobbing.

"I made sure they knew in advance. Everyone was out. They didn't see you. If you go back, they'll think you're responsible for the attack and you'll never get back to your family" Draco said.

"Aren't I? Aren't I responsible?" she cried out.

"No! No you're not" he said.

"I handed them the location. I helped take down my childhood home Draco" she said.

"You did what you had to do to survive. If you hadn't given the dark lord something worthwhile, he'd begin to suspect you. You did what you could to protect your family and maintain the façade we've built here" Draco said, taking her into his arms, comforting her as best he could.

* * *

xx-xx

* * *

_Dear Mrs Josie Malfoy,_

_We are please to inform you that you have been progressed on to 7th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is due to your exceptional academic scores and ongoing dedication to studies._

_You will find enclosed a list of required books and supplies._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Severus Snape_

_Headmaster  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

* * *

_xx-xx_

* * *

_Dear Mrs Josie Malfoy,_

_We are pleased to offer you the position of Head Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Upon undertaking this role, you will be responsible for taking leadership of Prefects and their duties. You will be expected to share a common room with the Head Boy, while retaining your alliance to your house._

_Yours Faithfully,_

_Severus Snape_

_Headmaster  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_


	19. Fiendfyre

**SEE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE BOTTOM FOR DEDICATION**

* * *

XX**XX

* * *

"I think I've done it" Lily said, as Sirius came down into the potions room that Lily had set up in the basement.

"You'll have to be more specific my love, your to do list is enormous" Sirius said, kissing her on the temple.

"Two horcruxes, no sword… Fiendfyre. That's the only way" she said.

"That's risky. We've spoken about this before" Sirius said.

"What if I can control it?" she said.

"There has only been a handful of witches or wizards in the history of time who have been able to control fiendfyre. And they used dark magic" Sirius said.

"Dark or light, magic is magic and if I have to tap into that to destroy Vold….." she begun.

"DON'T SAY THE NAME" Sirius shouted, before Lily could finish speaking.

"You-know-who, then I will" she said.

"And risk your soul?" he asked.

"My soul isn't what is at stake here Sirius, my soul is fine, as long as I'm doing what I do from a place of goodness" she said, arguing her point with determination.

"You don't know that" he said.

"I do. Sirius, I believe we all have a soul, I do. But I do not believe that magic has strict lines of dark ad light. There has to be some grey" she said.

"You're willing to risk your soul on that?" he asked.

"I'm willing to risk my life on that Sirius. To save the wizarding world? To save us? You? Our children? What about Josie?" she asked.

"I… I can't lose you Lily" he said, tears forming in his eyes.

Lily wrapped her arms around her husband, certain that his fear was valid and coming from a plac of love, not stubbornness.

"You won't lose me Sirius. Am I a smart witch or am I a smart witch? I cured werewolves. I tamed the beast that I Sirius Black. Come on. Have a little faith" she said, holding him by the shoulders and looking into his eyes.

"Make a vow" he said suddenly.

"A vow? A vow of what?" she asked.

"That if it's too much for you, for your magic that you'll stop" he said.

"No, Sirius, you know me. I won't allow it to take me away from you, from our kids. While Josie is out there somewhere lost to the Malfoys, I will not let some stupid little fire kill me" she said.

"I just… I want your word" he said.

"I only speak the truth Sirius. To you. My word has been given. Now please, if you don't mind, look over my notes and tell me what you think" she said, suddenly offended at the thought that she would lie, put herself in danger when her children needed her.

* * *

XX**XX

* * *

"The wards are in place?" she asked.

"As many as I could do" Sirius said.

"The ones you specifically mentioned and then some of my own" Harry said.

The three of them stood at the edge of a small island that was situated in the middle of nowhere. The Cup of Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin's locket in Lily's hands, ready to be destroyed.

"Good. Now, we've practiced, right? We know what we need to do?" she asked.

"Yes, mum, I get it. You hold the fire, I throw the cup and dad throws the locket" he said, putting his hand out for the cup.

Lily distributed the horcruxes to her husband and her son, who looked more and more like James every day. She blinked away a tear and inhaled a deep breath before releasing it slowly, something she was taught by a healer when she felt fear creeping upon her.

"I just…" she began.

"Don't. We'll talk when this is over" Sirius said.

Lily simply nodded and held her wand out directly in front of her.

"Remember the plan" she said.

"Disapparate if it gets too much and put in an anonymous tip to the Dark magic reversal team" Sirius said.

Lily narrowed her eyes, focused on the desolate island in front of her. It was chosen for this mission by Dumbledore long before any of them ever considered fiendfyre to destroy horcruxes. He would bring Lily here over the years while the children were at Hogwarts, teach her spells she had only ever dreamt of. He told her about the magical properties of this particular island and skilled her on the power of familiar magic in protection spells. She only hoped he was right and the bonds of magic between herself and Sirius, and herself and Harry were strong enough to draw on to stop the fire once if was started.

She held her breath and spoke in an even tone, "_sacer ignis_". She watched as crazed fire tore from the end of her wand and took on a life of its own. She spoke again "_ne sacer ignis_" and the fie that was still pouring from her wand stopped. She held her wand tight in her hand, aiming it at the fire that was dancing around the island, searching for something to engulf. She looked to Sirius and Harry and nodded, signalling to them to throw the horcruxes into the fire.

As the items flew through the air, the screaming sound almost deafened Lily, who was managing to barely maintain control of the fiendfyre.

It was taking so much of her magical energy to hold the raging beast at bay, however, once the horcruxes touched the earth, the fire moved on its own towards the screaming, towards the only thing it could sense to burn. The cup was first, almost combusting into screeches and horrified screams. From beneath the lames, Lily could see black ooze in the place where the cup once was and she was pleased to know that the plan, so far, was working.

As the flames targeted the locket, it also let out some sounds, but not the same screaming that could be heard from the cup. This time it was speaking.

"Lily Black. You have sacrificed your soul and it is mine for the taking. I own you, your hopes of a life beyond the war, your fears of losing everyone you love… They will all be for nothing. Your soul is mine, your dreams are mine, your fears are your own and you will live them, see them, experience them, every day of the rest of your life. I own you Lily Black, Lily Potter, Lily Evans…" the voice continued until the fire took hold and eventually destroyed it in an explosion within the fire itself.

Lily wiped tears away from her eyes, as she now worked to control the fire, make it smaller, extinguish it. She knew the incantation; she knew the wand movement. She had practiced, but now, somehow, she was frozen.

"Lily…" came the echoing voice of Sirius. She knew he was right there beside her, but the sound of his voice felt so far away. The bright red and orange of the flames were in front of her face, dancing, playing, taunting her. She was in a trance. They were begging her to let them free, allow them to run all over this island, find something to burn, to consume. Lily felt like allowing it. There was a part inside her that wondered what might happen if she were to let go, allow the world to burn at her hands.

"Mum, mum!" she heard Harry, her son. Her first-born child, now a man He would understand. He was there. Felt the green light race towards him, just as she had done 15 years ago. The euphoric feeling of death, the peace that she dreamt of. It wasn't freedom from war, it wasn't a happy, safe life. It was death. It was the briefest, most fleeting feeling she remembered experiencing when she was struck by the killing curse in Godric's Hollow years ago. She wondered if Harry had felt that or if he could remember. Death had chased her, her whole life and was now staring her directly in the face, side by side with the flames, begging, pleading for her to let go, to allow it to consume the island, to consume her… Harry… Sirius… Harry? She had fought for Harry her whole life, pleaded for his safety to the dark creature who had tracked them down and murdered her husband in their home. She would NOT give up; she would NOT surrender. She would fight, she would take control of this beast and diminish it, extinguish it, end it.

She summoned all of her magic and held her wand high, the flames, were shrinking and becoming smaller. The bright orange colour was fading to black. As Lily threw all of her magic into making the flames small, she fell to her knees, still holding her wand high above her head and muttered the incantation to extinguish the flames, which followed her command.

The blackness was blinding. There was no light, no sound. She vaguely felt herself being moved, but there was no way to tell if it was real or not. She felt the pull through her navel and wondered briefly if she were being apparated away. There was no sound and still no light. Had the world gone black? Or had Lily been overcome by the blackness of dark magic?

* * *

XX**XX

* * *

**AN - A short chapter that i would like to dedicate to the incredible New South Wales Rural Fire Service, to the people who have lost their homes and their lives and to all of the emergency services working their asses off to save my country from the bush fire crisis that as taken over. You may not know this, but Australia is currently experiencing an incredible drought and has been in the brink of the hottest, driest fire season in more years than i can remember. Lives have been lost, houses have been destroyed, service men and women, who are mostly volunteers, are exhausted yet, they face another day of catastrophic conditions and expect to fight another battle that feels like its never ending. **  
**People are being forced to flee to the beaches, to gather on the sand, to drive into the water for safety while this raging beast takes over the bush, the houses and the land. There are no words to describe the feeling of fear in the air. I haven't seen the blue sky or the yellow sun through the smoke in months. Its the middle of summer and you can barely see the sun. I am safe where i am, but can not leave. To the east of me is the ocean, to the south and to the west, the roads are all closed from the fires. There is no possible way to travel south. North is a major city which is accessible, at this stage, however, it is also surrounded by fires and burnt land and beyond that, there is no way out. **

**Please keep Australia in your thoughts. Particularly as we approach another day of hot, dry, windy conditions. **


	20. Magical exhaustion

**Thanks for sticking with me through this story. **

* * *

Josie sat on the Hogwarts express, in a private carriage that had been organised for herself, Draco and anybody they allowed entry to. Josie wanted nothing more than to bring in Hazel, Ginny, Ron, Neville... Hell, even Hermione and Desmond at this stage would be welcome company. But in order to keep up appearances, Josie had to steer clear of her true friends and allow the scum such as Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and the forever jealous Pansy Parkinson to accompany them. It had made the first portion of the school year almost unbearable, with Crabbe and Goyle assigned to accompany her everywhere that Draco wasn't. And with Draco's additional responsibilities to Snape, that was frequently.

Josie had immediately become friends with Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bullstrode, Theodore Nott and Blaize Zabini as they were friendly and welcoming when Josie returned to Hogwarts as Draco's wife, and Josie knew their allegiance was impartial. They tended to shy away from the couple, thinking they were heavily aligned with Voldemort, however, Josie made every effort to welcome them, both to the Head Boy and Girl quarters and to the carriage that they were assigned. Josie found, rather early on, that having people around her that she could just be with, alleviated some of the loneliness. The fact that her marriage to Draco, let alone her relationship with him, was out in the open, was a huge relief and allowed Josie to focus heavily on obtaining her NEWTS.

Christmas at the Malfoys had gone about as well as she could have expected. Lucius was still as cold towards her as ever, however, Narcissa was doting on her as if she were her own daughter. It made Josie feel a little more at ease. She loved Draco with everything that she was, she married him, she adored him. He was her world, however, sometimes it was very lonely.

She had given up her friends for a relationship, something she had always scoffed at. When she had seen girls do it at Hogwarts in the past, she and Hazel had spoken about how disgusting it was, about how '_surely she was never really their friend to begin with, because as if you'd just abandon your friends like that'_.

Voldemort had gifted Josie and Draco with the closest seat to him at the Christmas table, which was just as much a surprise to them as it was to everyone else. Despite them being the only ones in the house who were not truly on his side, they were beginning to become his most trusted acquaintances. This was much to the disgust of Bellatrix, who was still fuming over the death of her husband, Rodolphus. Josie wondered why she had been so upset. Their marriage was only ever for convenience and as he was the last known member of the Lestrange family, Bellatrix had inherited the entire Lestrange empire. Josie wondered why the Death Eaters didn't pack up and move to the Lestrange Mansion, leaving the Malfoys to some peace, however, Josie knew that Voldemort still had some doubt regarding the senior Malfoy's allegiance, and he was staying to prove a point.

Throughout the holidays, there had been whispers of a child that had been born over the last few months, however, Josie could never pinpoint who the child belonged to. There were suggestions that Bellatrix had given birth to the child as there had been a time where she hadn't been seen for quite some time. She thought that perhaps Narcissa had had a child, as she was often leaving events and parties to '_take care of something'_, but Draco guaranteed Josie that his mother was unable to have any children following a difficult birth with himself. No one knew for certain and Josie didn't seem to have the authority to ask, so she just left it.

The train seemed to be taking forever, but Josie didn't mind so much. She had actually enjoyed the Christmas, despite missing her family greatly. She hoped they would understand, once this was all over and done with. She and Draco thought about leaving, about running away to another country, changing their names, using glamour charms to change their appearances, but that would cause far more trouble than staying and pretending to be part of the Death Eater's clan.

Josie kissed Draco as she left the carriage to visit the bathroom, something Draco was hesitant about, but Josie insisted she'd be fine. Afterall having Crabbe and Goyle follow her to the bathroom would definitely be pushing it too far.

Josie was washing her hands when she heard the door swing open and a person approach. She held her breath, thinking she was now being escorted to the toilet and turned to face the person who had come to check on her.

"The door is warded, no one can hear us" Hazel said, putting her back against the door at the look of shock and ear on Josie's face.

"Hazel, you can't be in here. You can't do this…" Josie said,

"Do you think I care? Josie, I know you. You're a Gryffindor. You're not a Slytherin. You're not the marrying type. What has he done to you? Why haven't you been allowed to speak to us? Why did you come back to seventh year in September? Why can't you even look at us?" Hazel asked, firing question after question at her friend.

"You don't know anything Hazel. Please just leave" Josie said.

"I'm not leaving without an explanation" Hazel said.

Josie ran her hands through her hair, something she had picked up from Draco.

"The marriage is consensual. I wanted this. I tested to be moved up a grade, you know me, I'm smarter than most of the professors even. I will always be a Gryffindor and I am still me. I just… I need to do this. For now" Josie said.

That's not good enough. My best friend was involved in the headmaster's death, she ran off and came back 3 months later, married at the age of 15 and is now an exclusive member of the death eater clan" Hazel said.

"Yes, that's true. But think, Hazel, please…" she said, placing her hands on the shoulders of her friend… "Remember what I told you about Draco. About the real Draco. Remember what you know about me. My history. Please understand. Once this is all over, I will explain everything" she said.

"What do you mean over? Wake up to yourself Josie. This will never be over. No one is fighting no one is coming to help. No one is trying to _make_ this be over. We're just along for the death eater ride now. He's won" Hazel said, tears in her eyes.

Josie closed her eyes and used wordless, wandless magic to stun her friend. "I promise, it will all make sense in the end" she said quietly as she opened the door, unlocking and unwarding it at once, without her wand.

Josie returned to Draco, not uttering a word about what had just occurred in the bathroom. She sat quietly, listening to Theo and Daphne talk about their Christmases, which Crabbe and Goyle ate all the sweets that Josie packed from the Manor.

The train pulled into Hogsmead slowly and Josie used her wand to change into her robes, teaching the others the simple spell as well. Nobody could quite figure out how Josie had grown so much in both sophistication, maturity and magical ability in the last 6 months. People assumed it was related to the bonding of magic that occurs when people marry, however, Josie attributed it to loads of reading. She spent so much time in the library at the Manor reading book after book, absorbing as much as she could. She categorised the information in her mind so it could be easily accessed when needed. Spells, charms, historical information, defence magic and more were read, understood and filed away for future use. She had a deeper understanding of the magical world than anyone she knew, more than purebloods, more than even Narcissa, who had been brought up in the purest of families.

She disembarked the train, reminding Draco that, as Head boy and Girl, they had to assist with the coordination of the students onto the carriages. It was slow and tedious, however, eventually, the platform was clear, and the students were safely on their way back to school. She gasped as she felt Draco take her hand and lead her into the small sitting area on the platform.

"Hey you" she said.

"Hey you back" he said with a smile.

"We've been here before" she said.

"If I remember correctly, you rejected me… right… over there" he said pointing to the wall by the door.

"It was a tough time" she said, feigning concern.

"Now look at us" he said.

"Head boy and girl, the first married couple to ever attend Hogwarts and be head boy and girl, also, me, the youngest person ever, to be undertaking the maximum number of NEWT classes possible and set to graduate in just over 5 months" she said.

He smiled at this and pulled her close to him, kissing her as he did. She relished in this moment. There was no senior Malfoys, no Voldemort, no friends, no professors. Right now, in this moment, she was herself, Josie Potter, 15-year-old school student and he was Draco Malfoy, Slytherin prat and they were sneaking in a rendezvous before heading to the castle.

But she wasn't Josie Potter anymore. She was Josie Malfoy, married to Draco. She was the youngest person ever, to get into Voldemort's close circle and one of only a few who had accomplished that without being marked by him personally. She had partaken in the death of Albus Dumbledore and abandoned her family for him and his.

She let it before it happened, her heart rate increased, and her breathing became erratic. He was still kissing her, and she had to pull away and regain her strength. However, she couldn't. It had been months, perhaps a year even, since her last panic attack and now, here, in the warm sitting room of Hogsmead station, she would fall to her knees and succumb to the darkness that was about to swallow her whole.

Draco held her tight, trying not to let her fall. As her vision faded to black and all sound went quiet, Josie fell to the floor and gave in to the panic that had, until now, sat dormant in her mind.

Josie awoke and looked around the dimly lit room. She was surprised to see that she was in the Head boy/girl common room and not the hospital wing. She sat up carefully and looked around, hoping to see Draco. Instead, she found that she was all alone. It was slightly unnerving at first, but as she sat and gathered her thoughts. She came to realise that alone was probably the best she could have hoped for. Draco was incredibly supportive, but sometimes, when he was there with her all the time, she hoped for nothing but alone time.

She stood and walked to her room and took her journal out from her trunk. She hadn't written in months; she had no need to. Her thoughts were all shared with Draco and she didn't want the book to fall into the wrong hands. She opened at the last page that had been written in and was shocked to see that it had been a year since the last entry. She didn't allow herself to dwell, as she knew that is what brought on the panic attack at the station, however, it was difficult to read the last entry in her book that spoke of a task and a boy and loving someone like she hadn't ever loved anyone before.

She spent some time jotting down some points so she could clear her head a little. She hoped that the occlumency she had learnt was the reason for her panic being so subdued and felt that as long as she could partition the guilt and the dread away, she could find a way to function again. She remembered what Draco once told her about her panic. Its all about control. As long as she was in control, she would be fine.

She put the book away in the locked portion of her trunk and found a small box in which she had always kept her jewellery. There were necklaces and earrings that she had been given over the years from her parents and a bracelet that she had been given last Christmas. She picked it up out of the box and held it in her hands. It was really quite pretty and as she realised why she hadn't been wearing it, she felt a tug behind her navel and she disappeared from the room, from the castle, from Scotland.

Josie stood in an unfamiliar room in a strange house she had never seen before. She knew exactly what had happened, not having believed it was possible to be ported out of the castle but believing it as it was happening right before her eyes. The room had clearly been decorated by her mother. There seemed to be too much light for the number of windows that were in the room. There was a couch facing a small fireplace and some small decorative items on some shelves. Moving photos of herself and her siblings littered the place and she realised that she was probably standing in the place where her family now lived.

The bracelet that her fingers were gripping was the one she had been given the Christmas beforehand that she had discovered quickly was charmed as an emergency port key. Her mum must have activated it once Josie went missing.

"Anybody here?" she called out, wondering how she was going to get out of this mess. Draco would be beside himself once he realised she was missing and Voldemort would scour the country looking for her.

"Who's there?" came the voice of Lyra.

"It's Josie" she called back, hesitating before attempting to move through the house. Her little sister, who was almost the spitting image of her, entered the room, her wand raised in front of her. Josie stepped back and her legs came into contact with a lounge chair.

"Bull… Josie wouldn't come here" Lyra said.

"Josie?" came the voice of Harry from beyond the doorway.

"She says it is, but I can't be sure" Lyra said.

Harry entered the room and, as his youngest sister was doing, was aiming his wand in Josie's direction.

"How did you get here?" he asked Josie, before turning his head and calling for their dad.

She held the bracelet in her hand and let it dangle down for them to see. AS she did, Sirius entered the room and exhaled.

"Kiddo…" he said, seeming uncertain as to what to say or do.

"I can't stay here" Josie said.

"What did you say, the night on the astronomy tower?" Harry asked.

"What? Why are you…?" she began to ask.

"Just answer the question. So we know you're not an imposter" Harry demanded.

"I asked you, Harry, not to hate me. I begged, in fact" Josie said.

"Its her" Harry said, looking to Sirius and lowering his wand, directing Lyra to so the same.

"Great, now we're all up to speed on who I am, you can send me back now" she said.

"No way. You're not going anywhere" Harry said.

"Sweetheart, you're safe here. We can keep you safe. It's too dangerous for you to go back" Sirius said.

"I appreciate the concern, but its far _safer_ for everyone if I go back" she said.

"What do you mean?" Lyra asked, as Carina entered the room and stood by the door.

Josie sat on the lounge chair and ran her hands over her face. It felt like it had been the longest day, however, she had only just woken up and then been ported here.

"If I'm not where I am supposed to be… I mean, if I am not found, do you think that people wont start looking? Do you think that this won't be the beginning of something completely new that you all have to fight against? Think about it" Josie said, feeling hysteria beginning to show its face in her voice. She took a deep breath as she looked around the room.

"Josie, you've been manipulated into believing that you are in love with Malfoy. You need to let us help you" Harry said.

"What? No way, you're crazy. I have not been imperiorised, nor have I been confounded, poisoned, brainwashed or manipulated any other way. This is real and if you or anyone else had bothered to pay the slightest bit of attention to me over the last couple of years, you'd have noticed that I was changing" she said.

"Years?" Lyra asked.

"Yes, I started talking to Draco during the Christmas holidays of my fourth year" she said.

"How didn't anyone know?" Sirius asked.

"We met in secret, sent notes via a charmed piece of parchment. Not that difficult" she said.

"The map though?" Sirius asked, looking between Josie and Harry.

"It doesn't show the fucking Room of Re quirement" Harry said, clearly overwhelmed with this information.

"Harry" Sirius scolded him for swearing. Josie rolled her eyes. Clearly being of age doesn't make you immune to parental scolding.

Harry also rolled his eyes.

"I hate to break up the family reunion but is somebody going to point out the obvious her?" came the voice of the, until now, silent Carina.

Everyone just paused and looked to her, waiting for her to continue.

"She's a death eater. She was responsible for our house burning to the ground, she literally had a hand in _KILLING_ Dumbledore. Why are we so damn concerned about this traitor? This death eater? As far as I'm concerned, we should have called Aurors ten minutes ago when she showed her face in our house, the House of Black, and had her thrown away in Azkaban to rot" Carina said, venom oozing from her words.

"There it is, that's what I was waiting for" Josie said. "Funny, it took a Slytherin to say it, considering the rest of you are all such brave Gryffindors" Josie added.

"Carina, none of us want to see Josie in Azkaban" Sirius said.

"Dads right, Josie doesn't belong. She's being manipulated by someone high up in the ranks and…." Harry started.

"I'M NOT BEING MANIPULATED!" Josie roared, and as she did her hair sparked and the torches in the house all flickered at once.

Sirius looked at her, the briefest flash of fear in his eyes betrayed his calm façade, "Come, lets go down to the kitchen, we'll make a cup of tea and have a real conversation" he said.

"Wait a minute, what about… where's mum?" she asked, as the twins left the room and Josie was ushered towards the door to the hallway.

"That's a long story. One which I'm not sure we should tell you. If anyone has access to your mind…" Sirius said.

"I'm pretty efficient at occlumency" she said in an offhand sort of way. "That's how Draco and I… Well, let's just say that the public image of us is quite different to who we really are and what we are trying to achieve" she said.

"You're brilliant" Sirius said, as he wrapped her in a hug.

"What… what do you mean?" Lyra asked.

"Josie, you mean to tell us that you're faking it?" Sirius asked her.

Josie, having followed the twins to the kitchen and arrived at a long wooden table, sat down and placed her head in her folded arms on the table.

"What point is there in me being an occlumens, if the four of you, who are rubbish at it, know the truth? If you're captured, and the dark lord gets this information from your mind, I'm dead. So is Draco. I'll tell you, but I have to obliviate you all. Now where is mum?" she asked.

"You will not obliviate me" Carina said.

"You can't" screeched Lyra.

"You're underage, its traceable" said Harry.

"While, yes, I am underage, I haven't had the trace on me in months" Josie said.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"Draco and I got married. I pledged myself to him. I am loyal to him. Technically, he owns me, he commands me, he is responsible for me and my magic. The trace was removed as soon as I said '_I do_'. I'm considered an adult now. I can basically do whatever I want" Josie said.

"There you go. He can control everything you do" Harry said, at the same time that Sirius said, "Smart girl" and brought her into his arms.

"He doesn't control me Harry" she said, from the comfort of her dad's arms, "He loves me. He fucking cherishes me, worships the ground I walk on" she added, feeling Sirius cringe at the use of a swear word. She felt the betrayal of tears fall from her eyes. She was exhausted. She should be resting, not facing the inquisition of the century. "Now please, someone tell me where mum is" she said.

Sirius said beside her, taking her hand in his. Josie saw the look of sadness in his eyes and horror crept upon her. Her mother was dead. She had done something that had ended her mother's life.

"she's….?" She began, but the words would not come.

"She's alive" Harry said.

"She used some rather complex magic and it exhausted her. She's been asleep for a little over 2 weeks" Sirius said.

"Where is she?" Josie asked, flashing through images of books she had read throughout her life on magical exhaustion, desperate for something that could help her mother.

Sirius stood and led the way out of the kitchen and up the stairs. They didn't stop n the first landing or even the second. Josie was wondering how big this place actually was when they came to a halt outside a set of double doors. He turned the handle and pushed the door open quietly. Josie gasped when she saw the sight of her mother laying in the bed, her flaming red hair surrounding her head like a halo of goodness.

"What was it… the spell?" Josie asked, not looking away from her mother as she walked to her bedside.

"Fiendfyre" Harry said.

"Fiend... What the hell was she doing casting fiendfyre?" Josie asked.

"Horcruxes" Sirius said.

Josie suddenly looked to him, confusion on her face until she remembered reading about Horcruxes in one of the books at the Manor.

"Does he… how many?" Josie asked.

"Dumbledore believed there to be seven pieces of _his_ soul" Sirius said.

"We've found evidence of six and so far, most of them are destroyed" Harry said.

"The seventh must be…" she began.

"The piece he carries within himself" Harry said, looking to Sirius as though this should have been obvious.

"What are they?" she asked.

"Riddle's diary that was destroyed by the basilisk venom, a ring that was a Gaunt family heirloom, Dumbledore destroyed with a curse that poisoned him, a locket that belonged to Salazar Slytherin and the cup of Helga Hufflepuff that mum destroyed on an island and almost died for" Harry said.

"So, there must be something of Ravenclaw and something of Gryffindor" Josie surmised.

"That's what we thought. But the snake…" Harry said.

"The snake is very humanistic" Josie said.

"Rather strange for an ordinary python, don't you think?" Sirius said.

"Very" Josie agreed.

"We think the last one is the diadem of Ravenclaw" Sirius said.

"You mean the _lost_ diadem of Ravenclaw?" Josie asked.

"That's the one" Harry said.

"No one's ever even seen it. Does anyone know what it even looks like?" Josie asked.

Sirius walked over to a cabinet and tapped it with his wand. A shelf appeared out of, seemingly no where and a stack of papers was presented. He flicked through and took out a few pieces of parchment and handed them to Josie.

"The diadem" he said.

Josie looked at the picture and her eyes went wide.

"I need to go. I need to go back to Hogwarts" she said, standing up.

"You can't do that" Harry said.

"You dot understand. I know exactly where this is. I can get it now and destroy it" she said.

"How are you going to destroy it? Mum almost died trying and she's a hundred times stronger than you'll ever be" Harry said.

"You said that you destroyed the book with the basilisk fang?" she asked.

"Yes" Harry answered.

"Find, I'll go get one. There's an abundance of them in the chamber of secrets" Josie said.

Harry and Sirius looked at her for a second in silence. They were clearly both trying to figure out what to do.

"Just let me go back. I need to go back before anyone becomes suspicious. Draco was due to return any minute and once he finds me gone, he'll search the entire school. Once he's done with that, he'll go home to the Manor and start looking there. Once he finds that I'm not there, he'll tell you-know-who that I've been captured or killed or worse and there will be hell to pay. You have no idea how hard we've worked to build ourselves up in the ranks. He will literally burn the entire world down to look for me" Josie said panicking.

"You're in his ranks?" Sirius asked.

"Yes. I'm his second most trusted person. You have no idea what you've done" she said.

"But you're not even marked" Harry said, looking to her left arm in case there was a dark mark that had been hidden.

"No, I'm not marked, I'm married. That's why. Draco and Narcissa didn't want me taking the mark. That's why I got married at 15. Merlin you boys are slow" she said, turning back to sit beside her mother.

"Can you get to the snake?" Sirius asked.

"I'll need something… something else. I can't kill it with a fang, can I?" she asked.

"The sword" Sirius said.

"The sword of Gryffindor?" she asked.

"You need to find it. It is imbued with basilisk venom" Sirius said.

"That's easy. Its in my vault" she said.

Harry and Sirius looked to each other and sighed.

"Now give me a minute" Josie said, looking back at her mother.

She places a hand on her mother's forehead and closed her eyes. She could see colours in the darkness behind her eyelids. Some were bright, others dim. She could see that her mother was near death, magically exhausted. There was something else that Josie saw, however. There was some darkness there. She wasn't really surprised, given that her mum had used a dark spell.

"I can save her" Josie said.

"How?" Sirius asked, looking hopeful.

"Well, its clear that she will die if she is left here like this. I can see that her magic is still there, only just, but there is some dark magic inside her too. I can absorb the dark magic, lock it away with occlumency and dispose of it later…" she said, as Sirius cringed. "… I can try a spell that will give her some of my magic, temporarily. Her own magic will slowly dissolve it as she becomes stronger, but she will live. I will be weak and will need to go back to Draco immediately…" she said.

"No way, you're staying here" Harry said. "Especially if you're weak" he added.

"You don't understand Harry. When you're married, you're magically bonded to that person. You give them half your magic and they give you half of theirs. Your magic grows around them" Sirius said.

"So why isn't she getting better around you?" he asked. "Why can't you fix her?"

"She already gave away half of her magic when she married your dad. We're married, but it's not the same the second time around" Sirius said sadly.

"Its complicated. Some of mum's magic died when our father died. She was able to grow some of it back, but magic doesn't recognise second marriages Harry" Josie said.

"How do you know all of this?" he asked.

"I'm a Malfoy" she answered.

"You will always be a _Potter_. Don't ever forget that" Sirius said.

"I'm as much a Potter as mum is an Evans" she said, turning to focus on her mother.

"Like I said, I can give her my magic, which will cure her. She'll wake up and slowly, her magic will grow back… But I'll be running purely on Draco's magic. You'll need to send me back so I can get some of mine from him. They already think I'm unwell, I'll just say that my magic is compromised or something" she said.

"You're unwell?" Sirius asked, glancing down her body towards her stomach.

"Merlin, I'm not pregnant. I'm not stupid" she said. "I had a pretty nasty panic attack and I was out of it for a few days" she said.

"And now you're here" Sirius said.

"Well, its not helping… but I'm fine. I'll be fine" she said.

"And you're sure you can do this?" Harry asked.

"I can do this. Just…" she took a piece of parchment from the stack beside her on the bed and tapped it with her wand. "That's the charm to reverse the portus spell that brought me here. You'll need to send me back _as soon as_ she opens her eyes so she doesn't take too much" Josie said, fearing that if they delay sending her back, that the spell will drain Josie of every ounce of magic she possesses.

"How do you know this will work?" Harry asked.

"There's not much to do at the Malfoy Manor other than read or chit chat with the darkest wizard of all time. I spent most of my time in the library. Then again, so did he… hence the great relationship that I now have with the evil piece of sh…." She stopped her sentence at the look Sirius was giving her.

"So you and… him… would sit and read together?" Harry asked.

"Pretty much" Josie said, thinking back to the days upon days where she sat in the library across from Voldemort while they both read and read and read and he attempted to figure her out by not so subtly digging through her mind while he thought she wasn't aware. Josie knew, however, as soon as her walls were penetrated and her mental compartments begin to shift that someone was in her mind. Voldemort had a subtle way of doing it though, so that most people would have no idea he was in their heads.

"Anyway, I read some books on magic, magical bonding and how to remove someone's magic from them..." she said, pausing at the horrified looks on their faces.

"So… he knows all this. He knows that you have all this knowledge" Sirius asked.

"That's right" she answered.

"So, you're either highly valuable to him as a supporter, or completely dangerous as an enemy" Sirius said.

"Exactly. So, if he thinks I've been taken and swayed by my family, he'll hunt me down, kill you all and kill me for good measure. Then Draco will likely end up dying in search of vengeance because no one will know he's actually unkillable until we destroy the bloody horcruxes" she said, getting worked up. "Now, let me do this. Let me save her. I'll recover enough to get the sword, kill the snake and destroy the diadem" she said. "That should be enough reparations for my part in… in everything" she said sadly.

"Do what you need to do and we'll send you back" Sirius said, hugging his daughter.

Harry hugged her as well, followed by Lyra. Carina stood back, looking at the floor and not saying a word.

"It'll all be ok, I promise" Josie said as she held her hands above her mother's head.

It was all over in minutes, Josie felt the magic pull out of her body and enter her mother, and even though she knew it was enough, she couldn't stop. That was the part that she feared. That they wouldn't recognise the signs and wouldn't send her back in time, if at all. Her magic depended on them knowing when.

If she could move, she would have collapsed on the floor. Instead, her mind went foggy and she felt her body go limp. Her magic was still flowing from her into her mother and she thought she heard the far away sound of her mother's voice say her name before she felt the familiar pull behind her navel.

She felt herself being lifted and placed on something soft and thought she heard two voices in the room. One she recognised as Draco, although he sounded so far away and the other, she was too weak to place.

The familiar sensation of legilimency flashed though her senses and she immediately threw up the barriers to prevent anyone finding out what had happened until she knew who it was. She attempted to open her eyes but the effort it took was too much. Her mind was clouded with such a harsh fog, that it took every ounce of determination to keep her mind closed.

"Draco, you need to give her some of you magic. She has been exhausted" came the voice of Snape.

"What do you mean?" she heard Draco ask.

"Josie, you need to let me in. Show me what happened" Snape asked.

"I'll do it. She trusts me" Draco said, and she felt his soothing magic enter her mind. She allowed him to see, second by second what had happened and showed him the important parts of the information from her memories of how to heal her.

It felt like hours had gone by before the words of the spell were being said above her. She felt the fog beginning to lift, just a little at a time, so far, just enough for her to open her eyes and blink once.

"You're back" Draco said as he kissed her on the forehead.

She could feel his magic within her, as well as a small portion of her own. She closed her eyes and felt enough of her own magic and knew she would be able to regenerate it completely, with enough rest.

Opened her mouth to speak but Draco places a finger on her lips.

"You don't need to say anything. I know what happened and its all going to be ok. We have a plan my love. But... Josie… you've been unconscious for a month" he said.

* * *

AN - There are more than 150 fires currently burning in my state alone and 10 of these are at emergency level. The area that has burnt is at least 4 MILLION hectares (9.8 million acres) and it is estimated that over 480 million animals have perished. The closest fire to me is 30km (18.6 miles) away and it is raining ash and burnt leaves in my front yard. Celebrities such as p!nk, Keith Urban and more have dedicated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the relief effort but it will never be enough. People are saying this is the result of climate change, some are saying it is a government conspiracy to free up the land for high speed rail. Either way, it is happening. Its real. It feels like the apocalypse, like hell on earth.

**Whatever higher power you believe in, please, beg for rain for us (not too much, ****because**** floods are a thing too). **


	21. OOC Character descriptions

I thought i'd add a chapter about how i envision the characters - particularly the sisters.

JOSIE to me has long black straight hair. She doesn't use charms or products to keep it tame, despite being a Potter and having the genetic predisposition to have hair sticking up in all directions no matter what. She has green eyes like her mother, making her and Harry look quite alike in many ways. She doesn't wear glasses, setting her apart from her brother. She is slim but curvy.

LYRA has long curly flaming red hair that is completely untamable. It is quite striking and looks incredibly perfect, but that's because she taps it with her wand each morning and ensures that it remains in place. She has grey eyes like her father and, although she began Hogwarts as a complete introvert who spoke only in her own language with her twin sister, she quickly grew up and gained confidence as she found herself as someone separate to her twin.

CARINA has long black hair and a straight fringe that sets her apart from her older sister Josie. She has grey eyes, like her dad and her twin sister and a light spattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks. As she has grown, she has taken a liking to wearing dark muggle eye liner. She has always been extroverted and secretly wished she wasn't a twin.

NEVILLE was never the plump first year we know from the books and movies. He was brought up by his health conscious parents and was quite trim when he first started Hogwarts. He remained that way throughout the years.

DESMOND looks insanely like Neville, although with a more athletic build. His hair is longer and he is shy and quiet, until he isn't.

HAZEL is voluptuous and has brown hair that stops just below her shoulders. She has a round face and brown eyes that are the same colour as her hair. She is an extrovert with no interest in pursuing a magical career. She is quite smart but only puts in enough effort into her studies so she can graduate in order to please her parents.


	22. Nagini

**AN - It rained! Can you believe it? Not enough to extinguish the fires, but enough for a short reprieve. **

**Please enjoy this chapter that i dedicate to the people who have lost loved ones, almost like losing a piece of their soul. **

* * *

xx

* * *

It was almost her birthday before Josie was fully recovered. She had managed to attend some classes after a couple of weeks, however, she was unable to perform magic or exert herself in any way for, what felt to Josie, like forever.

Draco tried as hard as he could to prevent the news from reaching Voldemort. He didn't want them to appear as weak. Narcissa sent a care package every week to Josie, in hopes it would aid in a speedy recovery.

Draco had been incredibly attentive, sitting by Josie's bedside, reading books to her and helping her care for herself. It was incredibly intimate, and Josie felt a deeper connection to Draco than ever before.

Her 16th birthday happened to coincide with Easter, and the time away from the castle was a welcome distraction. She was now fully recovered and Narcissa insisted on an appropriate party to celebrate her 16th birthday.

Draco took Josie shopping in Muggle London and bought her the most spectacular dress. He bought a tux from a muggle shop for the first time in his entire life and, despite the fear of Voldemort's wrath at them dressing like muggles, they were a little thrilled at the idea of defying him in front of his face, should he choose to attend.

They had lunch at a muggle restaurant and stopped off at Gringotts before coming home. Josie went to great effort to replicate the sword of Gryffindor that was in their vault and they took the original with them, hidden in Josie's handbag which had been secretly extended with magic.

They knew that the moment the snake was killed, that Voldemort would know their plan. He'd know that they were after the horcruxes and would check on them one by one. They had only the snake and the diadem to go and it was up to the two of them to take care of them.

The party started late in the afternoon, as pure bloods tended to do. Josie had read all about the traditional parties and was prepared for what was to come. She hated the idea of being showered with presents, but turning them down would be worse, as she discovered at her wedding.

She was gifted with gold and galleons, jewellery, clothing and a car. She hadn't known anyone in the wizarding world, apart from her dad Sirius, to drive, but she loved the idea of it.

At 8pm, Voldemort arrived, and she was instructed to cut the cake. This happened quite quickly, and Josie excused herself afterwards to freshen up, asking Voldemort to promise her a dance, which he agreed to politely.

In the bathroom, she reached into the top of her dress and pulled out her bracelet, closing her eyes as she was ported to Grimmauld Place.

"You ready?" she asked Harry as he stood against the wall of the living area.

"Yeah I guess" he answered.

"No, not, I guess. Are you ready to kill the snake or aren't you?" she asked.

"_Yes_, yes I'm ready" he answered.

"Good because I'm currently supposed to be in the bathroom" she said.

She took Harry by the arm and muttered the spell to take them back to where she came from – one of the only methods of entry into and out of Malfoy Manor. The bracelet was something she would have to look into at a later stage, because its ability to bypass wards was unheard of.

She led Harry out of the bathroom and down to the formal dining area.

"The snake should be in here. Use the cloak and get it done. Go back to the bathroom afterwards and wait for me there. I'll help you get out as soon as I can. Till then, I need to dance with the devil" she said, handing the sword to her brother and hurrying back to the party.

"Mrs Malfoy, you indeed look quite refreshed" Voldemort said as she requested a dance.

"The cake was beautiful, but quite sweet. My sweet tooth is not as advanced, I'm afraid" she said.

"Let this cheer you up, my dear" he said as he withdrew a small box from the pocket of his robes.

Josie took it hesitantly, and the motion was not missed by Voldemort. She opened the box and found a necklace with a black opal set upon a white gold plate. She held the box in her hand, reluctant to touch the jewellery in case it was cursed.

Voldemort reached into the box and turned the pendant over, '_not cursed_', showing the back to hold the Dark Mark.

"You are far too fair to be marked, my dear, however, consider this jewel, the same thing. My gift to you" he said, as she took it from the box and turned so he could attach it behind her neck.

"You're too generous, my Lord" she said placing her fingertips upon the opal, receiving a simple nod in return.

"You are aware of how the mark works?" he asked.

"I am" she said, allowing him to spin her slowly with the music.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked her after a moments silence.

"I am. And I thank you for coming. I know you're very busy. And once again, for the gift, I thank you" she said, looking into his red eyes and snake like face.

"Anything for you my dear. Your husband and yourself are my most trusted and loyal followers" he said, holding her hand and kissing it once. The action was not missed by anybody in the room, as had their interactions up until this point. They resumed dancing and he continued his conversation. "I admit, I was quite concerned when I learnt of your allegiance to young Draco following his mission. Afterall, you are a Potter and I did try and kill you before you were even born" he said.

"That's all history, my Lord" she said.

'Nevertheless, I was not inclined to have you sit at my table. That is, until you proved yourself worthy. Until you married Draco. Your magic combined with his, is something to be reckoned with. The two of you together could overthrow even the most powerful dark wizard" he said.

"My Lord, I wouldn't think of…" she said.

"I know young Josie. I've seen your thoughts. You are pure and honest. Both of you. I've delved into the deepest depths of your mind and there are no concerns there. You have no desire to become who I am, so why then, I must ask, do you wish to become powerful?" he asked.

"It is not power I seek" she answered.

"Show me" he said, looking into her green eyes. Her mother's eyes. Her betraying mind wondered briefly if he had looked into them the night he aimed his wand at her mother and cast the killing curse.

Josie squared her thoughts away appropriately, allowing him access to the desires she had appropriated for herself, for this very moment. When he looked into her mind, he would see herself and Draco living happy and free, with a child, perhaps two. She would allow him to see glimpses of her mother, father and siblings joining them, but she had an explanation ready.

"My dear…" he began.

"Forgive me, my Lord. I do not wish to leave your side, however, I can't hide the desires deep within my heart" she said.

"They'll pass. You will see, child, that there will be far more to this life if you fight alongside me than if you continue to fantasize about a life that isn't possible" he said.

"Remnants of childhood fantasies, My Lord. That's all. I am devoted to a life at your side" she said.

"Please, young one, do not fool yourself. You will have a family with Draco, when the time is right. Do not dedicate your _entire_ life to the servitude of a man like me" he said, glancing towards Bellatrix, who stood jealously against the wall.

Josie was about to come up something clever, when Draco interrupted.

"My Lord, I beg, may I cut in for a birthday dance with my wife?" he asked.

"Draco, you need not beg" Voldemort said before kissing Josie's hand and slinking away.

Josie took Draco's hand and pressed herself close to Draco.

"You doing ok?" he asked.

"Absolutely, I'm having a great time. Everything is as perfect as I could have hoped. The Dark Lord is quite generous" she said, hoping Draco would see the inuendo in her words. The thing she wanted to say was '_yes, I have let my brother into the Manor and successfully distracted Voldemort long enough so he wouldn't think we have anything to do with the death of his pet snake and hey look, he gave me the dark mark_'.

Draco took the jewel in his hand and turned it once over. He smiled and made a polite bow towards Voldemort who was watching them from his seat. Draco kissed Josie on the temple before leading her in a dance.

Josie danced with her husband for the next three songs, ensuring their appearance on the dance floor was known to everyone there. They kissed, they held each other, and they gazed into each other's eyes. If not for show, then they would have wanted to interact in that way anyway. They did earn snide remarks from those who deemed their behaviour to be inappropriate and Josie could feel the tension in the air building when she heard a noise emanate from where Voldemort had been seated.

She saw him slink in his chair and took it upon herself to rush over.

"My Lord, are you ok?" she asked, kneeling by his side.

"Please, Josie I'm sure he needs some space" Draco said.

"I … I'm fine. I'm fine" he said, attempting to right himself. Draco offered his hand, but Voldemort insisted on helping himself. Once he was upright in his chair, he called for Bellatrix. Causing Josie to frown in feigned jealousy.

"My Lord…" Bellatrix whispered as she sashayed to his side, almost shoving Josie away.

"Find Nagini" he said, almost a moan, more than a whisper but not quite his usual voice.

_'He's wounded'_ Josie thought to herself.

"Of course" she answered and took off out of the room.

"Is everything ok?" Josie asked.

"Young Josie, things are far from ok but I wouldn't expect to bother you with things you'd never understand" he said, making Josie feel small and insignificant. She had to remind herself that she actually didn't care what _he_ thought of her. He was a monster and he was now on his last life.

"Of course" she said, head down and walking away.

Josie joined Draco and they made their way to the edge of the room to where his mother was standing.

"Josie, he is quite taken with you" Narcissa said.

"I aim to please" she said.

"I have not seen him dance like that with anybody" she said.

"Not even Bella?" Josie asked.

"No, never. Whatever has existed between them has been private. Bella was married, after all" Narcissa said, a guilty look in her eyes.

"Why do it at all then?" Josie asked. "If you're married, you stay faithful till death do you part" Josie said quoting the vows she took at her own wedding.

"Bella's husband was eager to appease the Dark Lord. He would give him anything he asked for" Narcissa said.

"Even his wife?" Josie asked, suddenly feeling sick at the thought of Voldemort potentially asking Draco for a night with her.

"Nothing is black and white I'm afraid" Narcissa said.

"Clearly" Josie said, sipping her wine, desperate for a break in conversation so she could find Harry and get him out of there. "Please excuse me. All that dancing has made me a little hot and bothered. I need to freshen up a bit" she said, loud enough for a nearby couple of death eaters to hear, before kissing Draco on the cheek.

Josie made her way to the bathroom, hoping eagerly that Harry had made his way back by now.

She closed and locked the door behind her, warding it, and looked around, waiting. It didn't take long for Harry to reveal himself from beneath his cloak.

"It's done" he said. "One step closer to…" he began.

"That's great Harry, but you have to leave, now" she said, taking him by the hand and leading him to the small room containing the toilet. This bathroom was far too fancy.

She touched the bracelet on her wrist and ported them both out of the Manor and to Grimmauld Place.

"It's done. I need to go" she said quickly to the room that was occupied by her parents and siblings.

Lily rushed to Josie and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug that Josie wished could last longer.

"You incredibly brave girl" was all she said, before Josie pulled away and said the spell that would take her back to the Manor.

She arrived back to where she left from and could hear noise outside the bathroom.

"She's in there. I know she's up to something" a male voice was yelling.

"She's not up to anything. How dare you make such accusations?" came the voice of Draco.

"Funny isn't it that as soon as things turn pear shaped, she disappears. She isn't even answering the door" he yelled.

Josie took this moment to open the door and reveal herself to be, in fact, in the bathroom, hair electrified with magical energy. The death eater she recognised was Antony Dolohov, someone who tried desperately to join the closest circle but never quite made it.

"If you'd like to know why I refused to open the door to you, someone I do not even know, it's because on the night of my wedding I was attacked. I'm not placing myself in the position for that to occur again. Now please, the Dark Lord trusts me. Having doubts about me is the same as doubting the dark lord himself. Now _back off_ before I have to explain it to _Him_" Josie said, crackling at the ends of her hair. As Dolohov took off at a run, Draco pointed his wand at the back of his head, obliviating certain memories of the night as Josie cast a spell that would make him appear and smell rather intoxicated. He left the hallway leaving Draco and Josie alone in the entrance to the bathroom.

Josie pulled Draco by the lapels of his jacket into the bathroom and swiftly locked the door using wandless, wordless magic.

"You're one scary witch" he said with a smile.

"And you're so incredibly sexy" she said, kissing him hard as she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed his jacket off his shoulders.

Draco followed suit, running his hands up her legs and grabbing her ass, squeezing it once before removing her underwear from underneath her dress.

Josie fumbled with his belt and pants as he lifted her and sat her on the edge of the basin. She wrapped her legs around him and he gathered her dress in her lap, positioning himself at her entrance.

Josie used the heels of her feet against his behind to pull him closer and he rammed himself into her, filling her, hitting the spot that felt the constant need to be soothed. She was so ready, and he was hard as steel. She threw her head back as he withdrew and thrust himself back in. He set a steady pace, gripping her tightly and thrusting in and out of her warmth. One of his hands supported her on the edge of the basin and the other ventured to the place where their bodies joined, locating her clit and roughly pressing it, rubbing it, bringing her to orgasm within moments. As her body clenched around his, he moaned his own release and kissed her roughly. They remained lost in the afterglow of their passion for a few moments before Draco pulled out of her.

He kissed her forehead and said, "I will never _ever_ let anybody else touch you".

"Not even a dying old man?" she asked.

"_Especially_ a dying old man" he said, gathering her underwear off the floor.

Josie hopped down off the basin and quickly cleaned herself up in the toilet room, where she had disapparated from only minutes earlier.

Josie smoothed Draco's hair and she fixed her make up in the mirror before they left the room and re-joined the party.

"Where did he go?" Draco asked his mother when he noticed Voldemort was missing.

"He retired to his room. He didn't seem well, Draco" Narcissa said.

"It might be the food. I'm feeling a little flushed myself" Josie said.

"I had to sit with her a little while in the bathroom till she felt better" Draco said, hiding the teenage smirk that threatened to burst from the look of concern he had painted on.

"Draco, something… You need to know… The snake, Nagini, is dead" Narcissa said.

"Oh no, that's terrible. She was… I loved that snake" Josie said, her acting on par.

"I know, my dear. You had quite a bond with her. Someone at the party killed her in an act of terrible maliciousness" Narcissa said.

"She was killed? Who would do such a thing?" she asked, looking around at the guests that were remaining.

"When Josie was dancing with the Dark Lord, I saw Dolohov leave the room for a while. Maybe…" Draco said.

"Son, please, do not make suggestions that are unfounded" Narcissa said. "Besides, he was with us when Josie left from the bathroom" Narcissa said.

"Where was he before that though? He joined you from the hall as I approached. I would have him questioned once the Dark Lord recovers" Josie said.

"I'll discuss it with Lucius. Till then, I think the party needs to come to an end" she said, flicking her wand to make the music stop.

Josie stepped forward and thanked everyone for coming. She noticed Dolohov was not in the room, which was an asset to their plan to have him framed.

The party goers dispersed and soon, the ball room was empty, save for the buffet and the bar.

"Here's to you both" Narcissa said, handing the couple a glass each and toasting them.

"And to you mother" Draco said, "for a spectacular party" he added.

"Thank you, Narcissa" Josie added as the three of them clinked glasses.

* * *

xx

* * *

After Easter, Hogwarts became hell on earth, unless you were the child of a death eater, or a death eater yourself.

The Carrows were using more complex torture spells to make, primarily Gryffindors, suffer greatly and were taking turns to monitor the halls on the 7th floor.

Draco and Josie laid in their bed late in April and discussed the difficulty they were having, getting into the Room of Requirement to access the Diadem.

"This is insane. They're patrolling the corridor around the clock and when they're not, the room wont open. I don't get it" Josie said.

"Its simple. Someone is in there. They're using the room as a hide out. Think about it. Have you seen the Longbottoms or the Weasley's around? They're using the room to hide out from the Carrows" Draco said.

"We have to do something Draco. This is madness" Josie said.

"What are we going to do though? They're untouchable" he said.

"To ordinary people. But we are the Dark Lords favourites" she said, smiling sweetly.

* * *

xx

* * *

Josie walked down the hall, towards Defence class. She never looked forward to the classes she had with the Carrows and today was no exception. As much as they admired the Dark Lord and his followers, Josie was still a Gryffindor and with that, came their hatred.

She entered the class and sat beside Draco who had arrived from his Arithmancy class that he had with the Ravenclaws.

Amycus Carrow was evil incarnate. He lacked a single ounce of empathy and Josie wondered what kind of household would spite out someone like him. His twin sister was horrid, however, Amycus was slightly worse.

They had been learning defensive dark magic, much to the disapproval of many of the students, and todays lesson was about wordless defence in the case of multiple attacks.

Carrow took the opportunity to begin throwing curses at several students, expecting them to shield and protect themselves without instruction or preparation. Josie had sat by and watched over the course of the year, as the so-called-professor instructed them in the use of dark curses and hexes and now, as the school year was coming to an end, was he attempting to teach them something worthwhile.

"No speaking!" he roared, when he fired a mutation hex at Neville, causing Neville to shout "Protego" in shock.

The shield he cast was actually quite strong and Josie was impressed, however when he let his shield down, Carrow silently cast a scalping hex, hitting Neville in the face, causing his hair to be instantly removed. While Neville was in shock, trying to figure out what had happened, Carrow hit Neville with curse after curse, until Josie, who had been sitting gripping her wand, stood and shouted "ENOUGH!", throwing a silent shield around Neville to protect him.

Draco's hand flew out to stop her, but Josie was on her feet before she realised what she was doing. Her heart was racing, and her lungs were desperately trying to suck in as much oxygen as they could. Her primal instincts had kicked in and she was geared to fight.

All eyes in the room were on Josie, the 16-year-old child prodigy, the favourite of the Dark Lord. Her hair was sparking and the shield she cast, hung effortlessly in the air between the professor and the boy she had known her whole life.

"You dare interrupt my lesson?" Amycus roared at her.

"I do. He's had enough, this is torture" she spat.

"If he can not produce a simple shield, how will he defend himself against multiple attacks?" Amycus asked.

He had a point; however, the methods of teaching were barbaric.

"You can not use dark hexes on students. Its disgusting" she said, lowering her shield when she was sure the focus was now away from Neville.

"Says who?" the professor asked.

"Says the law. The Ministry of Magic" she said, absolutely gob smacked that it was even a question.

"You're wrong" he said, eyeing her for a moment.

Josie caught it a split second before it happened. Amycus's wand twitched ever so slightly and purple sparks were sent flying her way. She didn't move a muscle or speak a single word, however her shield was up in a split second. She heard gasps from the students who were clearly impressed. She, however, was not.

"Do you know who I am?" she roared, magic now flowing freely from the ends of her hair in bright white bolts that electrified the air around her. She stepped away from the desk that she had, till now, been standing behind and moved forward, her shield never faltering and her electricity sparking madly. The students nearby went from awe to fear as her magic intensified.

"I know you're an insolent brat who needs to control herself before she is seriously hurt" he said, slight fear in his eyes.

He simply looked at her like she was nothing, and she threw a different shield up around them that would hide both her actions and her words from the class. She briefly saw Draco attempt to pull her back, but there was no hope now. This putrid excuse for a human being had tortured students all year, he had cast a curse at her after hexing someone she cared about over and over again, without giving him the opportunity to ready himself for defence. He needed to know who he was messing with.

"You _don't_ know, do you? Do you know, _professor_, where I got his from? Do you know, under who's protection I lie?" she asked, indicating to the back opal that hung around her neck.

She turned the opal over in her hand and showed him the engraved mark on the back. It was now swirling around on its surface and his eyes turned to shock.

"You're not…" he began.

"I am. In fact, he placed this on me, _personally_, during my birthday celebrations while I danced with him, in his arms. He assured me that I am in his closest circle and I am under his protection. All I need to do…" she said, hovering a finger over the mark.

"No. Don't" he said, stepping back. Josie let down the shield that hid them from view, but did not let down her protection shield. Instead, she enlarged it, setting it between herself and the entire class.

"You will not hurt another student ever again. If you do… Well… You now know what I am capable of" she said, lowering her shield when he hung his head.

"Class dismissed" he said, earning confused looks from everyone in the class.

Josie turned and collected her bag, not bothering to make eye contact with anybody, not even Draco. She was so deep in lies now that it was hard to keep up. Voldemort told her that she desired the power. Was he right? She certainly felt powerful now. Did she like it? Using his name might have been a mistake, but she felt like she had no choice. She ran towards the 7th floor, hoping that it would be clear for her to enter. Students all seemed to be in classes today. The magic that was flowing through her in this moment was driving her desires to get into the room and end this – today. She walked past Barnabas the Barmy three times, repeating to herself: '_I need the room of hidden things'_. On the third time, she stopped and waited for the door to appear. It didn't. It wouldn't. She knew that now they were on the last piece that getting to it would be impossible, even though it was under their noses the whole time. It was literally right next to them for the whole of the previous school year. They had made fun of it even, calling it ugly junk, not knowing that the whole time, there was a piece of Voldemort's soul hidden inside.

She screamed in frustration, causing a first-year girl to run away in fear.

As she made her way back to her Head Girl dorm alone, walking towards her was a group of people she would ordinarily be excited to see.

Neville, Ron, Lavander and Parvati were approaching from the opposite direction. Josie thought about turning and walking back the way she came, but that would be too suspicious. She stopped walking and waited for what she knew was coming.

"Josie…" Neville said.

"I'm not interested in a lecture by another Longbottom" she said.

Neville looked confused then shook his head.

"No, that's not it… I… Josie, thank you, for what you did. You risked a lot" Neville said.

"Oh… Well, you know, you'd have done it for me" she said, trying to walk away.

"What was that… that you did?" Ron asked.

"It was a shield. That's all" she said, looking up and down the hallway.

"We couldn't see… Or hear anything you did…" Ron said.

"And your hair… It was like there was…" Parvarti began.

"Electricity" Lavender said.

"Oh, well… That sometimes happens when I'm mad" she said.

"Never happens to me" Lavander said.

"Or me" Parvarti added.

"I don't know why. Probably the same reasons why I remember everything that's ever happened, or why I was able to skip ahead a year and then another" Josie said, trying to shrug them off. She did know why, she knew exactly why, but she didn't want to tell anyone, not yet anyway.

"What did you say to him? When you went over to him. Why did he back down?" Ron asked.

"I don't know... He must have been afraid of me or something" she said.

"No way" Parvarti said.

"He's a death eater. The only reason he'd be afraid of you would be…" Lavender said, pausing to quickly grab hold of Josie's left arm.

"Let me go" Josie demanded, being caught off guard.

"We need to know. What was it that you showed him? You're one of them, aren't you? You're a death eater!" Parvarti demanded.

"No, let me go, I mean it" Josie said, wondering how on earth a bunch of unskilled 17-year old's could get their hands on her, but a fully grown death eater was defeated only minutes earlier.

Ron got hold of Josie's sleeve and pulled it up, revealing the clean skin of her left arm.

Josie quickly pulled away.

"There… happy now?" she yelled.

"Show us the other one" Ron demanded.

She did as they asked and showed them both of her arms, free from any markings.

"We're sorry Josie. Its just that… No one, not even other professors have spoken to the Carrows like that. We thought…" Neville said.

"You all thought you knew what the fuck you were on about and assumed I'm a death eater" she spat.

"Well, you helped a death eater kill Dumbledore and then ran off and _married_ it. How can we _not_ think you're one too?" Ron argued.

"He's not… its… You have no idea. You think there's black and white. Good and bad. Death eater and not death eater. Grow up Ron. You truly have no idea what you're talking about. Draco is marked. He was marked shortly after he turned 16. He had no choice. No one does. You take it or you die. Now leave me alone" she said, pulling away from the group and running towards the stairway to her dorm.


	23. Losing it

Josie wanted to cry, to sob, to be comforted out of her sadness, but all she felt was rage. By the time she made it to the Head boy and girl dorm, her hair was crackling with her magic and her fingertips were sparking.

She had learnt how to restrain it in the past, using occlumency to contain the magic within the closed off sections of her mind, but now, something in her was egging her on, pressing her to let it go. Free it from the locked portions of her mind and allow it to flow through her body. She knew what Voldemort meant when he said she was powerful. Perhaps he had seen her potential when he looked into her mind in the past? It wasn't that she sought it, she already _had_ it.

She closed her eyes and let go of her restraint. The magic that was sparking, now roared around her like a fire. The light was bright white, and it enveloped her like a cocoon. She was angry at Amycus Carrow for being a lunatic, angry at Snape for allowing the Carrows to enter the castle. She was angry at Neville for not being strong enough to withstand the attack, forcing her to intervene. She was angry at Ron, Lavender and Parvarti for accusing her of having the dark mark and Ron for saying horrible things about her husband.

Most of all though, she was angry at herself. She had allowed people around her to tell her what to do, forever. She had obediently obeyed her parents, Harry, Dumbledore, Snape and even fucking Voldemort. She allowed the people who grew up with her as her closest friends, to accost her treat her like she was worthless, despite her just saving one of their lives. She was also angry at the way in which she had tried so hard to restrain herself and her magic, ever since it had presented itself in its current form. She knew years ago that she was something different. She had something more than others. She hadn't known anyone who could perform wandless magic the way she could. Well, apart from Voldemort of course. She had been terrified that, upon giving some of her magic to her mother, that her powers would have diminished, but upon fully recovering, Josie felt far stronger than she ever had.

She stopped pacing and looked around her. The room was lit up from her magic and initially, it scared her. She pulled it back and dew it back in before sitting on the sofa and placing her head in her hands.

Her rage was subsiding slowly as she took some deep breaths. There was no use allowing all these things the opportunity to get the better of her. Within hours, she knew word would be all across the castle about whatever it was she did in class and she would have to be calm enough to answer them.

It was times like this when she desperately missed her friends.

Hazel would have the perfect retort for every single comment that people made. Now, though, Josie expected that Hazel hated her. SHe shook her head to clear the idiocy out of her mind. SHe agreed with Draco that her friends would undersntad. When all of this was over, she could go to her friends and explain and theyd understand. If they were truly her friends, theyd get it. SHe hoped.

Draco entered the room just as Josie was calm enough to focus. SHe was glad he hadn't seen her cocooned in rage. It might have been too much for him.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, clearly angry.

"I showed him who's boss" she said.

"What does that mean? Josie what did you do?" he asked.

"I turned over my necklace and showed him the mark. I told him where my position is at the table and asked if he would like me to touch the mark" she said casually.

"You can't just…" he began running his fingers through his hair.

"Can't just what? Call out a torturous bully for a year's worth of bullshit?" she asked.

"You-Know-Who wouldn't have given a flying fucking hippogriff about Longbotom and his incompetence. He would have celebrated with that piece of shit when he was dead while the Gryffindors had to clean the blood off the floor" Draco said.

"No way, he likes me. He would have defended me" Josie said.

"Wake up to yourself. You have no idea what he is truly like. He treats you like fucking royalty because you're the golden boy's sister. You're the only way to get to him and he is pulling you in with jewellery, compliments and praise so you'll lead him to victory" Draco said.

"That's ridiculous. I mean, it's true, what he intends, but it's not going to happen. He likes me because I'm different" she said, knowing deep down that Voldemort appreciated her for her intellect and her abilities as well as what she has the potential to accomplish.

"Josie, he doesn't give a fuck. None of that matters. He wants two things. The first is Harry dead and the second is wold fucking domination. You're just as powerful, at age 16, as Bellatrix is in her forties. He will suck you in and hold you close, shower you with gifts and promises and use you all up to make sure that you don't go against him" Draco said.

"That's not…" she began.

"It is though. Josie, look. He already has you wrapped around his little finger. He knows you. He truly knows who you are. Little Josie Potter, always lived in the shadow of her brother, the Boy-Who-Lived. Never miraculous enough to be something on her own, despite surviving the killing curse before even being born, despite being smarter than almost anybody else and entering Hogwarts at age ten. A girl who would run off and get married at 15 to the first boy who looked her way and give up her whole like, family, friends for…." He went on.

"For the first boy who looked my way? Yeah I get it" she said. "Although, someone better let him know that _you_ weren't that boy" she spat, walking to the door that opened with a bang, just as Josie willed it to, leaving him standing alone, dumbfounded.

Josie walked through the castle not caring who watched her as sparks trailed behind her. She had seen in muggle movies that her mother took her to when she was younger, the effect that metal made when it sparked against concrete. This sort of looked like that. Where her feet touched the floor, charred bits of stone were left in her wake.

She was back to fuming mad and her hair was once again sparking at the ends as though the magic that flowed through her was almost too much for her body to contain. She headed for the courtyard for some fresh air in hopes it would calm her. How dare Draco, her husband, the one person who is supposed to be on her side, no matter what, say those things about her. Did he forget about Desmond? If Josie was truly that desperate for someone, she would have stuck with him and been some complete ordinary twat who believed that Draco was the bad guy.

She reached the courtyard and almost sighed in relief before she realised that it was already occupied. The only person she both wanted desperately to see but avoid as well. Hazel Longbottom was sitting in an alcove, straddling the lap of some Ravenclaw that Josie recognised as a studious boy named Steven somebody.

"What the fuck?" Hazel yelled, as Josie rushed through the courtyard in an attempt to get to the next outdoor area.

"As you were" Josie said, trying to hide the sparks that her desperately trying to escape.

"What's going on?" Hazel called after her, removing herself from the boy's lap and chasing after Josie.

"Nothing. I came for some peace and quiet and found the place occupied. I'll move on" she said.

"Josie, wait" Hazel called. Josie kept walking, trying to find an outdoor space where she could be alone with her thoughts.

"Joise… JOSIE… JOSIE POTTER!" Hazel called, causing Josie to stop in her tracks.

"That's not… Its…" she said, certainly sure that her old friend knew she was married and went by a new name.

"I know, I know, you're a _Malfoy_ now" she said. "At least I got you to stop" she added with a grin that could only be Hazel.

"I stopped because I found somewhere that I could be _alone_" she said.

"No way, you're desperate for everyone to know you're a part of them now" she said.

"That's not at all what I want. Why does everyone keep telling me what I want, who I am, what I'm doing? Why can't people just… just fucking leave me alone?" she said, sitting and finally breaking down into tears.

"Jo, Josie, its ok. I'm sorry, I just… I feel like I'm talking to a stranger" Hazel said.

"I feel like a stranger. You have no idea the things I've done" she said

"If it involves stunning your best friend on the train, then yeah, I know. I woke up as the train was pulling into the station" she said.

"I'm sorry... If I tell you everything… and …. If something happens, I can't trust that the information will stay in your head" Josie said.

"You think someone will use legilimens on me and find out what I know?" she asked.

"That's exactly what I think" Josie said.

"You're crazy" she said.

Josie grabbed the opal that hung around her neck and spun it around, revealing the swirling dark mark.

Hazel backed away, a terrified look in her face. "Well, there you go… Proof that you're not crazy"

"There is far more to this than meets the eye" Josie said.

"How? You're basically branded" she said.

"I'm not who anybody thinks I am. I mean, my relationship with Draco is real and I helped… Well, I've done a lot of things Hazel, but this…" she held the jewel out in front of her face… "this is just a piece of jewellery. But… I can use it for good. I helped Neville today. I stopped him from being tortured by that fucking maniac defence professor. You-Know-Who thinks I'm the best thing since sliced bread… and he doesn't fucking eat the shit. I should know, I sit two seats away from him at the table" Josie was rambling.

"Wait, you've actually met him? In person?" Hazel asked.

"Hazel, I've danced with him. Both at my wedding and at my 16th birthday" she said. "He placed this around my neck personally and told me that all I have to do would be to touch it and he'd come" Josie said.

"Josie… you know who you're talking about, right?" Hazel asked, fear and concern in her eyes.

"Of course. Its You-Know-Who, the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named… I get it. But really, when you're face to face with him and he likes you, he's actually…..." she was saying.

Hazel slapped Josie fair across the face.

"Stop. Just stop. He _personally_ killed your father. He tried wipe out your whole family. He ordered Draco to take the dark mark under threat of his family's death and forced him to orchestrate the murder of Dumbledore. He's also doing whatever he can to try and kill Harry… Still. Josie, what are you thinking? He is evil. He is walking, talking, breathing fucking evil" Hazel said.

"I just… I know all of that. I do. I am playing the game just as much as the next person and I don't ever forget what he's done… But I can't turn this on and off so easily. I have to truly be in it. I have to let him into my mind, my thoughts. I have to be someone completely different around him" she said.

"It seems… Josie, like… You're not even you anymore. Like… you are actually starting to believe the things he preaches" Hazel said, moving away from her.

"I am playing just as equally for the good side Hazel. And when all this is over and done with, you will see. You'll all see" … she said as she rose from the concrete bench seat they were sitting on… "I may seem deluded now, but it will all make sense. Eventually" she added as she hurried off down some stairs, towards the edge of the forest.

xx

* * *

**AN This is a small chapter that is supposed to highlight the insane confusion that is going on inside Josie's head. You may read it and think that shes all over the place ... and that's how its supposed to be. She's so caught up in how Voldemort seems to _like_ her that the poor girl, with all her childhood invisibility and daddy issues, can't see that he's keeping her close to manipulate her. And it might be starting to work? Also, she is mighty powerful. I wonder where that comes from? **

**Also, this is her first fight since she married Draco. How will that work out i wonder?**


	24. The seventh horcrux

**Another short one.. Enjoy**

**PS: I just realised that i skipped huge sections in re-reading over the last chapter. Sorry for the typos. I can go fix them if you want. Let me know in the reviews.**

**xxklxx**

* * *

Draco was almost certain Josie was being influenced by some force that neither of them knew about. His initial thought was the necklace, but he had cast a _revelio_ spell on it the first night she wore it and it was nothing more than the dark mark imbued on the white gold of the necklace.

He laid on the bed that they usually shared together, with his hands behind his head, thinking about what had happened.

She had flown into a rage in class and cast the most powerful shield spell he had ever seen. She had spoken to the Professor and then stormed out. Then, once he caught up with her in their dorm room, she was acting crazy. It was almost as though Josie was beginning to believe in Voldemort, despite his actions. Draco thought about all the things that could be impacting upon Josie's behaviour and immediately thought she may be pregnant. He thought back to the times they had been intimate lately and ruled it out as a possibility as he had personally cast the contraception spell each time.

Her magic was now more advanced than anything he'd ever seen, sparking from her hair and her fingertips almost as of her body could contain it. It was frightening and he wondered why and how it was possible.

His only thought was that his wife was running on cold fear. He knew that feeling well. He did some incredibly manic things while fear was the predominant emotion in his body.

Now that he felt like he had her somewhat figured out, he tried to come up with ways to help her. He loved her, Merlin did he love this woman, but she was the most complex creature on the face of the planet and becoming more so but the day. He knew he had to apologise for the way he spoke to her. There was no use trying to deny that he was in the wrong. The words he said to her were not his, but a projection of things he overheard at the Manor before he and Josie became close to Voldemort.

He heard the door to their dorm room open and close again and guessed that Josie had returned. He waited for her to enter the room, instead, heard her footsteps enter the other room, the one that they did not use. He assumed she'd be mad at him, but part of him hoped she would come to him so they could talk about what happened. They hadn't had an argument like this before and it scared him.

He loved her more than he loved his own mother, more than he loved any single thing in this world. At times, he laughed to himself, wondering how they got to this place from where they were – meeting in secret, sending secret letters and notes to each other… It baffled him. He felt blessed to call her his wife but saddened in a way that she had to grow up so quick. Was _he_ the cause of this? Had he not pursued her, had he left he be when she told him the first time, she would be with her family right now. She'd be still smart and sexy as hell, but she'd be safe. There would be no Voldemort influencing her way of thinking. No need for her to use Occulmency every day of her life. No reason for her to know how to meticulously shut every part of her mind away and lock the doors.

He sat up, realising that she was right. She had fooled everyone. She had actually made Voldemort like her. He had watched them on the dance flood on the night of her birthday and remembered thinking that he hadn't ever seen Voldemort look at one of his followers in that way. Not even Bellatrix. Sure, Voldemort desired his aunt and most certainly had his way with her, but he did not look at her the way he looked at Josie. Like Josie was a prize or a highly valuable artefact to be cherished.

Draco stood and left the room, not entering the other room where he knew Josie was, but leaving the dorm all together and running around the corner to where Headmaster Snape's office was.

He tapped his wand on the stone gargoyle, bringing it to life, not caring about the password. Snape had insisted that Draco and Josie have access to his office as needed, on the pretence that because they were Head Boy and Girl, they'd need it. In this case, it was related to Voldemort.

He ran up the stairs as quickly as his legs could carry him, having finally put the pieces together, and banged on the door. Snape's uninterested sounding voice carried through the wood of the door, advising him to enter and Draco pushed the door open and stood by the desk Snape had been seated at.

"Mister Malfoy, what can I do for you this fine afternoon?" Snape asked, feigning enthusiasm.

"You know what happened in class?" Draco asked.

"Of course"

"And?"

"And nothing. The professor was dealt with" he said.

"What about Josie?" Draco asked.

"Josie is untouchable" Snape said.

"She is one of those things, isn't she?" Draco asked.

Snape looked at him and his eyes bored into his mind, searching for information.

"STOP. Tell me. Is she one or not?" Draco asked.

"Dumbledore had many theories about the Potters. The night the Dark Lord went to kill the family, he made preparations for a certain kind of spell to be cast. He had the necessary item, a sword. The sword…" Snape said looking to the place on the wall where the sword used to live. Draco knew before Snape continued what the answer would be.

"Dumbledore, figured it out at the beginning of your 6th year. His blackened hand was a result of a curse he cast to destroy one of the items. It worked, but it worked too well. Dumbledore was dying, slowly. That's the only reason he allowed you to attempt to take his life. He was not long for this world anyway…" he said.

"Get to the point" Draco said.

"Dumbledore told me there were seven horcruxes. He knew of four. The ring, the locket, the dairy and the snake. He began having suspicions about two of the others, although he never informed me of what they could be. He did speak to me about the seventh. The unintentional horcrux" Snape said.

Draco shook his head, tears filling his eyes.

"That night in Godrics Hollow, The Dark Lord set up the spell to make his sixth horcrux, intending on creating the seventh at a later date. He was going to use the Potters deaths as the catalyst for the spell, however, when the spell backfired and he disappeared, it was assumed by him years later, that the spell was void" Snape said.

"But it wasn't. It worked, didn't it?" Draco said.

"Dumbledore believes so" Snape said, looking to the old man's portrait on the wall.

"Tell me…" Draco demanded, angry tears spilling down his cheeks. "Tell me she isn't one…" he demanded to the picture on the wall.

The image of Dumbledore said nothing, he simply stood and walked out of the frame.

"How? I mean… She wasn't even born yet" Draco said to Snape.

"That part I hadn't had the opportunity to discuss with Dumbledore yet, however I can surmise. The sword, which the dark lord intended to use, is loyal to Gryffindor's, so would not allow someone like the dark lord to use it for the purposes of containing part of his soul. When the spell backfired, the sword vanished, returning to the headmasters office… It clearly has other ideas of late" Snape indicated to the empty sword container that was attached to the wall.

"It is very rare that a living thing is made into a horcrux, so when the dark lord vanished, the part of the soul that should have become a horcrux must have sought out the thing that was most easily able to be protected" he said.

"An unborn baby is pretty well protected" Draco said.

"Precisely" Snape said.

"So, the part of his soul that he had prepared for the spell, attached itself to Josie before she was born and what… just, remained inside of her?" Draco asked.

"To this day" Snape said.

"You're certain?" Draco asked.

"Nothing is one hundred per cent Draco, but I am as certain as I can be" Snape said.

"That's why he fawns over her… Because she has part of him inside her? Does he know?" Draco asked.

"I do not believe that he knows... You knew all of this before you even asked these questions Draco. You guessed, didn't you?" Snape asked Draco didn't bother to answer, as Snape had already seen it in his mind. Draco just didn't have a logical explanation as to why or how at that stage.

"The intelligence, the magic, the maturity…?" Draco asked.

"Likely either the remnants of his soul, or the impact of having his magic live within her" Snape said.

"What do we… I mean, how do we remove it?" Draco asked, not sure if he was eager to hear the answer.

"The same way all the other horcruxes are destroyed" Snape said.

"There's no other way?" he asked, tears still streaming down his face

"Not that Dumbledore identified" Snape said.

Draco just looked to his headmaster. His godfather. His mentor. He knew it was all real. There was no way it couldn't be, but for Draco, the realness of it was almost overwhelming.

He turned to leave but Snape stopped him.

"Draco… You must not tell her. It will destroy her" he said.

"How? How can I not tell her that she needs to die?" he asked.

"You just get on with things and say goodbye when the time comes" Snape said.

As Draco had his hand on the door handle to leave, a thought crossed his mind.

"You know, you've been in love with her mother your whole life… How could you sit there, knowing she needs to lose her child? How can you live with yourself, every day knowing that the daughter of the woman you love has had a portion of the soul of the monster that killed her husband, living inside her since before she was born? I just… I can't fathom it" Draco said.

"You'll understand. When you go back to your room, you'll understand" Snape said.


	25. Am i a horcrux?

**Sorry for the wait. I've been reading other fan fics. See below for authors note. Please enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Draco walked slowly back to their dormitory, trying his hardest to figure out what all this meant. Josie had part of Voldemort's soul inside her. The part of Voldemort's soul had to be destroyed in order to defeat him. The only way to destroy a horcrux was to destroy the vessel that contained the horcrux. Josie was the vessel. Josie had to die.

No. There had to be another way.

The walk back was short and even though he walked slow, he was still no closer to coming to terms with it than when he left the headmasters office.

It was now night time and he knew that she would normally be asleep at this time. He pushed the door open and peered into the room, seeing Josie's form in the bed. He quietly stepped over to the bed and laid down beside her, pressing his body against the back of hers. He wrapped one arm around her body and breathed in the scent of her. She was everything to him. The sun rose and set with Josie and he couldn't fathom a world without her. Although… she had to die. Or Voldemort could never be destroyed.

He contemplated the conversation in his head, the one he had to have with her. He visualised the disbelief, the heartbreak, the utter shock that he knew would cross her face and he realised what it was that Snape has meant. He loved her too much to hurt her in that way. He couldn't tell her. He couldn't be the one to let her know that she had to die. Yet, how could he not? How could he go on, having this information and not tell her? Not tell her she had lived with Voldemort inside of her for more than 16 years and had to die to remove him?

After hours of thinking and coming up with ideas and strategies, Draco drifted off to sleep. His dream were filled with images of his wife with the face of Voldemort or with images of Josie dead in the middle of the forest. He dreamt that he told her and she left him, accusing him of lies.

He awoke early in the morning to find the other side of the bed cold and empty. He had hoped that she would be there waiting for him if she woke before him, but he supposed that was just him being hopeful. He got out of bed and dressed for the day, hoping that she would be in the library or somewhere, giving him the silent treatment. He deserved it, afterall.

He searched the places he immediately thought she may be, such as the library, the tree by the lake and the great hall. He picked at a piece of toast and drank some pumpkin juice without sitting before leaving the breakfast hour to resume his search for his wife.

The more he searched, the more desperate he became. There was no way she would leave Hogwarts. Despite the bracelet she wore that gave her the ability to go home to her parents, he doubted very much that she would go to them following a fight.

His last hope was that Josie had gone to the only place she knew he couldn't access; the Gryffindor Common Room. He made his way to the Gryffindor Tower and stood before the portrait of the fat lady. She eyed Draco and sipped what appeared to be a glass of champagne, refusing to make small talk with him.

"I shan't let you in dear boy" she said any time he asked her.

"My wife might be in there" he said, running his hands through his hair.

"You expect me to believe that there are students in this castle who are married?" she asked with a giggle that reminded him too much of Umbridge.

"Of course. Now is Josie in there or not?" he asked.

"Uh, Josie Potter…"

"Malfoy. Josie Malfoy" he said.

"Yes, your wife entered the room several hours ago" she said.

"Can you get her to come out then?" he asked.

"I can not leave my frame my boy. How on earth can I protect the students if I run off delivering messages for everyone who comes my way? Now clear off. I will pass on a message if she exits" the lady said.

Draco sat in the corridor across from the portrait, waiting for someone to exit so he could question them on Josie's whereabouts. He couldn't understand why she would come here. She feared telling anybody the truth about what was really going on, but he knew she needed her friends now more than ever. He had unintentionally alienated her from them, and that is absolutely the very last thing he wanted. He had seemingly done the same, not having interacted with his friends in months.

While lost in his thoughts, he almost missed the portrait open, allowing a group of girls to exit.

"Hey…" he called out to them, standing to his feet.

"What do you want Malfoy?" spat a 5th year Gryffindor.

"Is Josie in there?" he asked.

"She's your wife. Don't you keep tabs on her?" another girl asked.

Draco pushed the anger away that was threatening to rise and let out a slight chuckle.

"Funny. I need to speak with her, and I know she is in there" he said.

"So, you ask us if she is in there, then tell us that you know she's in there? What do you want, Malfoy?" the first girl asked.

"I want someone to go in there and tell Josie that I am out here and need to speak with her urgently" he said slowly.

"Well… We're kind of in a hurry" the second girl said, smirking to her friends.

"It won't take you long" he said, running his hands through his hair for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"I'll go" came the voice of one of the smaller girls Draco didn't recognise. She had to be a 2nd or 3rd year. She was quite small and had dark hair that was neatly braided into many long thin braids.

"Thank you. What's your name?" he asked.

"Rebecca Jordan" she said.

"Lee's sister?" he asked.

"I… um… I'll go get Josie for you" she stuttered.

"Now you've done it. It's taken us 2 years to get that Rebecca girl out of her shell. Out of her brother's shadow… and now you've gone and thrown her back into it" one of the girls said.

"You girls are quite strange" he said, looking around the group of Gryffindors.

Within moments, the portrait opened again, and Rebecca climbed out, closely followed by Josie.

"Thank you, Rebecca" Josie said, not looking to Draco.

"I'll be in touch Rebecca. I owe you one" Draco said as the girl followed the older Gryffindors away from where Draco now stood with his wife.

"I thought you left" he said.

"I wanted to" she replied.

"You have to know that I didn't mean any of the things I said. It was just what I knew he would be thinking. It wasn't from me. I don't think like that. You need to believe that" he said.

"I do" she said, walking away from the tower, towards the stairs to the 7th floor.

"So why are you so mad at me?" he asked.

"I'm mad at everything. Everyone. Draco… I never wanted this for myself" she said.

"What? Me?" he asked.

"I didn't ever envisage myself being married at the age of 15, or being caught up in some elaborate plan to save the world or being forced to lie to all my friends and completely isolate myself from everyone I ever cared about" she said, as they made their way towards the Room of Requirement.

"You want out?" he asked plainly, trying to hide the rejection he was feeling.

"Of course not. I want to be with you Draco, till death, no matter what. I take my vows seriously. I just… yesterday was a lot to handle. I realised things about myself… things I could do that were frightening to me" she said.

"You're very powerful Josie" he said, wondering if now was the time to tell her she was a horcrux.

"It's not just the magic, Draco. I have gotten myself into a place where people are afraid of me just for who I am. Who I associate with. Who I married. People think I'm a death eater" she said sadly.

"Well, you kind of are, Jose" Draco said.

"No, Draco, I'm not. Not really. I don't mean any of the things I say. Neither do you" she said.

"I know that, but the reality of it is Josie, you are a death eater. People will see you as one. Not only now, but when this war is over, you'll always be known as a death eater" Draco said, not caring to think that those thoughts and opinions will be once she's dead.

"So that's it? There's no way to change people's opinion of me?" she asked.

"Of course there will be, in time. Once people know the things you sacrificed for the greater good, they will realise" Draco said, walking beside her, realising she was headed to the room of requirement. "Besides…" he added, "It doesn't matter what people think of you" he said.

"It kind of does. To me anyway" she said. "I'm this crazy freak of nature now. Not only am I a death eater's wife and a legitimate death eater myself, I actually genuinely spark magic from my hair and fingers. I scorch the cobblestone when I walk and I can create shields that silence out the entire room. I can do so many things Draco. Its scary. And its only beginning. I don't understand it" she said, looking at him for the first time since she exited the portrait.

"I think I have an explanation as to why" he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, pausing outside the seventh-floor tapestry of Barnarby.

Draco walked past the spot three times, thinking of the room where things are hidden only to be completely unsurprised when it didn't open.

"We need to see Snape. He understands it better" Draco said.

"Understands what? Draco?" she asked.

"You'll see" he said.

"I don't want Professor fucking Snape to tell me. Draco, what is it?" she demanded.

Draco's eyes searched the corridor for onlookers and pulled her into an empty classroom. Josie sat at one of the tables and looked to Draco expectantly. All of the sadness and emotion she was feeling a minute ago when she poured her heart out to her husband was gone, replaced by anger and frustration. What did he need to tell her and why was he messing around?

"There is a reason why you're so powerful, why you get along with the Dark Lord so well. Why he likes you. He probably doesn't even realise himself" Draco said.

"Reason, yes, what is it?" she asked, impatiently

"The night he went to… to kill your family, to kill Harry, he prepared a horcrux. He had the sword, but didn't realise the sword is more of a sentient object than the other house items" he began.

"The sword presents itself to worth Gryffindors, everyone knows that" she said.

"Well, actually, everyone only knows that after the whole thing in the chamber of secrets" Draco said. "Anyway, when the killing curse failed, the sword disappeared for its own safety, but the horcrux curse had already been mostly cast…" he said.

Josie's eyes widened as she began to understand what this all meant.

"When he died, his body was destroyed, but his soul had already been split. He already killed and the soul needed a container, or a vessel. It latched itself onto the thing that it deemed to be the safest, or most protected thing in the room" Draco said.

"Don't say it…" Josie said, tears in her eyes, shaking her head.

"Unborn babies are very safe and well looked after. The least likely to die from accident of misadventure" Draco said.

"Draco…"

"Josie… I swear, I will find a way to fix this…" he said.

"DRACO!" she yelled, now standing, breathing heavily. "Draco, am I… Are you trying to tell me that there is a part of him in me?" she asked.

Draco didn't respond, he just stared at her.

"Am I a horcrux?" she asked.

"Josie, I promise, I will do everything in my power to stop this from happening" he said.

Josie stood for a moment, taking it all in. Of course she was a horcrux. She had never been given an explanation for how intelligent and powerful she was, she had always just assumed she was special. Of course, this made sense. She was no one special. She was only powerful because she was the safest possible option for Voldemort's rogue piece of soul to attach to that night.

"What do you think will happen?" she asked Draco.

"Snape said... That the horcrux vessel must be destroyed in order for the soul to be destroyed" Draco said.

"We know that" Josie said, suddenly realising what it actually meant. "I need to die?" she said.

"Snape thinks so… But I think… There has to be another way. I will find another way" Draco said.

"Another way? What other way Draco? Horcruxes must be destroyed. We might as well go now and get a basilisk fang and get it over with. What do you think, heart or head for the point of impact? I don't know where in me it is, so maybe just do it ALL FUCKING OVER" Josie screamed the last part, losing control of her emotions and collapsing on the floor.

"I'm not going to… we won't… I'll find something else" he said, kneeling down in front of her.

"No Draco. There is nothing else" she said, tears streaming down her face. "I need to go home. I need to say goodbye to my family" she said.

"I'll come. I want to come with you" he said.

"They wont like that" she said.

"I don't give a fuck what anybody likes. You're my wife and I'm never letting you out of my sight" he said, walking to her and enveloping her in his arms. She sobbed into his chest while he rested his chin on her head, allowing tears of his own to fall.

* * *

Josie and Draco arrived in the living room of 12 Grimmauld Place later that evening. It had taken an hour before she could be moved from the classroom and taken to their dormitory and a further hour till she was lucid enough to port out of the castle.

"Mum?" she called, hoping the house would be full of people.

"Josie? Is that you?" came the voice of Harry, followed by footsteps on the stairs.

When Harry arrived in the room, he stopped dead in his tracks when he said Draco standing hand in hand with his little sister.

"What…" he began, but Josie interrupted.

"I need you to stop for a moment Harry, there is something bigger going on right now than this rivalry you have going on with Draco" she said.

"For the record, I'd like to move beyond our childhood issues" Draco said.

Harry just looked at the couple, not speaking for what felt like an eternity before the three of them were joined by their mother, Sirius, Lyra and Carina.

"Josie" came the rushed voice of Lily. "Its so good to see you my girl… Oh my, you look dreadful" she said, hugging her daughter then holding her at arm's length.

"Kiddo" came the voice of Sirius, who ruffled her hair, causing her to smile at the childhood manner of affection.

"Josie says there is something going on" Harry said, looking around the room.

"There's always something going on when Josie's involved. She's probably pregnant. That's why he's here", Carina said, gesturing to Draco.

Lily and Sirius sat down, motioning for the couple to sit down as well. They were grateful for the large size of the living area and the more than adequate seating, so Josie and Draco could sit side by side.

"I must admit, this… Seeing you two together. Its freaking me out" Harry said.

"I don't know, she looks content" Lyra said, the first time Josie had heard her say anything in the longest time.

"Thanks Ly. I am content. As far as my relationship with Draco is concerned, we are happy and content with one another. I know it had come as a shock to you all, and to me as well, but we had to marry for so many more reasons than you realise. Besides, if I hadn't married Draco, I wouldn't have been strong enough to save mum" she said.

"And we are all so grateful for you for that. Oh, all hail Josie, the saviour of our family" Carina said with a scoff and a roll of her eyes.

"Carina that's enough" Sirius scolded sternly, making Josie jump. She hadn't heard him use that tone before.

"How about we get to the reason why we're here?" Draco said, hoping to get this over and done with so they could develop a plan together.

"We have a pretty solid explanation as to why I have been gifted with so many abilities, beyond what would normally be expected of someone my age" Josie said.

"We gave you every opportunity to learn as you grew up. You learnt everything the same as Harry. Its only reasonable to expect you to have been as smart as him" Lily said.

"No mum, that's not it. Partially, yes. But there is far more to it than that. There are things I can do that you don't know about. More than the memory and more than being highly intelligent and mature for my age" she said, looking around the room and earning a sigh from Carina.

"I can perform complex wandless and nonverbal magic. It started at first when I was emotional, upset, angry, that kind of thing, but I quickly learnt how to master it. I am exceptional at occlumency and can store portions of magic, thoughts, memories and any part of me away in what I like to think of as compartments inside my mind. These compartments are not accessible by anybody, not even Draco, not even the most skilled legilimens in the magical world. Recently, there have been… advances… in what I have been capable of. I have been known to spark magic from my hair and my fingers. I have scorched the ground when I walk. I am quite scarily powerful" she continued.

"It truly is a sight to behold" Draco added.

Josie looked to him and smiled, placing a hand on his knee while she continued.

"Draco, as you know, is close with Snape, being his godson and all and he went to him with his fears about my power. There were things that Snape told him that no one knew. There was more to Dumbledore in those last months than we all knew" she said, feeling quite upset, as she was partially responsible for his death. She looked to Draco, who continued the story for her.

"Professor Snape told me about the horcruxes, he told me all that Dumbledore told him, but he told me something else as well. Dumbledore was already dying. He had destroyed a horcrux, but the curse had impacted him as well. Professor Snape contained it to his hand, but Dumbledore only had twelve months or so until it would have spread throughout his body and killed him regardless. That's why Dumbledore allowed me to carry on with my mission. For the greater good" Draco said.

"Rubbish" Harry said.

"Harry let us finish, please" Josie said.

"There's more to this?" Sirius asked.

"There is" Draco said.

"Dumbledore had a theory as to why I am the way that I am" Josie said, looking to Draco, as the words couldn't form in her mind.

"He understood that the night your husband was killed…" Draco said, looking to Lily, "You-Know-Who, had already prepared and cast the horcrux spell. The death split his soul and he was to finalise the spell, using the sword of Gryffindor, once the he had killed Harry" Draco said, looking to Harry.

"But the sword being what it is, feared its own safety and vanished from Godrics Hollow" Draco said.

Lily's eyes widened in horror as she held onto Sirius' hand. Josie knew that all the pieces had fallen into place for her now.

"Once the Dark Lord had been hit by his own spell, his body was destroyed and the piece of him that was in his body fled. It was neither alive, nor dead. It was a portion of his soul that existed only because it was tied to the earth by the other horcruxes that he had made. We all know what eventuated several years later, but the portion of his soul he had torn apart using James' death lingered" Draco said.

"Turns out, a soul created using the horcrux spell will latch onto the safest thing it can, despite the spell not being finished" Josie said.

"An unborn baby is about the safest thing in the world. Protected by so many factors" Draco said, holding Josie's hand tight and squeezing it to let her know he was here for her.

"Oh my god" was all they heard in the moments that followed. Lily was on her knees, almost crawling to her daughter to wrap her in her arms. Harry was sitting on the armchair in stunned silence and Sirius was pacing the room. Lyra lept forward to join her mother in embracing Josie and Carina remained by the doorway, shock on her face.

After a long time, Sirius broke the sound of sobs and sniffles.

"What does this mean?" he asked.

"She's a horcrux?" Harry asked.

"Josie is the Horcrux You-Know-Who doesn't know exists" Draco said.

"I don't get it. We have to destroy the horcruxes, right?" Lyra asked, wiping tears from her face.

"Josie has to die" Carina said from the doorway.

"No. That's not happening. We will find another way" Lily said.

"Mum… Draco and I have been through all the options. There is no other way. A soul can be re-joined but only through acts of remorse that he is not capable of. There is no way he is even capable of those kinds of emotions" Josie said.

"I'll find something. I'll figure this out" Harry said, standing from the armchair and leaving the room.

Josie stood to go after him, but Sirius stopped her. "You need to be with your mum right now kiddo" he said.

He looked to Draco and motioned with his head towards the doorway. Draco kissed Josie's head and followed Sirius out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.

Draco looked around the room and vaguely remembered the room from a visit he once had in his younger childhood with his mother.

"I've been here before" Draco said.

"This is the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. You would have visited with your mother when you were small" Sirius said, reaching into a high cupboard and retrieving a dusty bottle.

Draco was uncertain as to what was happening, but when Sirius pulled two small glasses out of another cupboard and poured the contents of the bottle into them both, he did not refuse.

"To the newlyweds" Sirius said, downing the shot in one go and gesturing for Draco to do the same.

"Thank you" Draco said after downing the liquid in one.

"Is this legitimate? The things you're saying about Josie?" Sirius asked.

"Of course. I wouldn't say it if it weren't true" Draco said.

"You love her?" Sirius asked, throwing Draco off.

"With everything that I have" he said sincerely.

"Good. That's good. You'll need it" Sirius said.

"Do you have any ideas?" Draco asked.

"None" Sirius said. "But faith and love is what you'll need to get through whatever is to come" Sirius said.

"We're no closer to destroying the diadem than we were weeks ago. We can't get into the room of requirement" he said.

"That's neither here nor there now is it?" Sirius asked.

"Of course, it is. Once that's gone, that's all of them. Except…" Draco said began.

"My daughter, your wife. Technically, now my cousin. Although, the two of you were already cousins through marriage, so that makes this all the more awkward" Sirius said, putting the family relationships together.

"Josie is a spectacular person. It's a credit to you and Lily for raising her to be so" Draco said.

"Don't patronise this with your pureblood crap Draco. I was raised on that too. I know the routines" Sirius said, throwing Draco off a little. He hadn't realised he was behaving that way.

"I'm sorry, I…" Draco began.

"Look, I know you and Harry have been at each other's throats since day one, but all that is neither here nor there. All you need to do, little cousin, is be yourself. Show us the Draco that Josie sees. Then we will understand all of this" Sirius said, gesturing to Draco's wedding band that shone on his left hand.

"I will try my best" Draco said. "Now, we need to come up with some ideas. A way to get this out of her without killing her. She needs to live" Draco said, almost pleading with Sirius.

"There is no way" Harry said from the doorway before walking in to join the men at the table.

"What are we toasting to?" Harry asked. "The imminent demise of my sister? Oh, wait, that happened when Draco whisked her off to Malfoy Manor and made her one of them" he said, pouring himself a shot and downing it in one.

"Potter, I didn't… It's not like that" Draco said.

"Oh really, Malfoy? What is it like then? You took my 15-year-old sister, manipulated her into thinking she loved you, took her home to mummy and daddy and branded her a Malfoy by invoking outdated underage marriage laws" Harry said.

"You're wrong" Draco said.

"Harry…" Sirius warned.

"No, give him a chance to explain" Harry said, taking a seat across from Draco at the table.

"I tried my hardest to push her away. I really did. But she's a strong-willed woman. She wouldn't let me go, not after everything we had shared. When we both realised how miserable we were without each other; we just went with it. I never wanted her to get involved with all that last year. I never wanted to be involved myself. Josie was the one who kept me anchored to reality. She reminded me that I was good and that I was doing the wrong thing for the right reasons" Draco said.

"You're not good though, Malfoy" Harry said.

"I don't blame you for thinking that way" Draco said.

"How else is someone supposed to think?" Harry asked.

"Potter, I never wanted to be a death eater. I hated my father and all that he stood for. I had death eaters roaming the halls of my childhood home from the time I was born. I was brought up having the ideas drilled into me that muggles were scum and purebloods were not and there was no in between. I lived in fear of absolutely everything, but the biggest fear of mine was anybody finding out who I truly was. I worked extremely hard to be the horrible person everyone knows me as to avoid being killed or cast out by my own family. Because that's the alternative when you're a pure blood. Just ask your stepfather" Draco said, breathing heavily and looking to Sirius.

"He's actually right Harry. Assimilate or leave. I left" Sirius said.

"I have no where to go" Draco said.

"Harry, I think you need to listen to Draco. He hasn't had it easy" Sirius said.

Harry was about to speak when Lily, Josie and the girls entered the room.

"We need a plan" Josie said, sitting beside her husband, looking from him to Harry and to Sirius. "Is everything ok here or should we get a referee in?" she asked.

"Everything's fine. Just sorting out old rivalries" Harry said.

"Good. So, we've been talking about this situation and we are not going to just take it lying down. I will not let this take my life. We are going to sit here and we are going to brainstorm until we have an answer" Josie said.

Draco smiled at her, suddenly aware that some of the spark had returned to her eyes. She was the Josie that he fell in love with, full of energy, full of fight and ready to survive.

"I think there may be some books at the Manor that can help. I'll go there and have a look" Draco said.

"Is that safe? There's a hundred people there and you know he likes spending all his time in the library" Josie said.

"I'll be fine. I'll say I'm looking for something for school" Draco said, standing and kissing her cheek.

"Wait, I'll walk you out" she said.

"You can disapparate from the top of the steps. It will recognise your magical signature and allow you to return" Lily said.

Before leaving the room, Draco extended his hand to Sirius, who shook it immediately. He turned to Harry and held his hand out for him to take. No one breathed in that moment. Josie looked from her husband to her brother and back again, hoping beyond hope that they could come to some sort of arrangement where they could work together. She smiled when Harry took Draco's hand and shook it.

She walked him to the front door and held him in her arms, fearing that if he was seen and questioned, he may not be able to get away. She realised that she might not see him again, if he failed. If he was seen taking suspicious books, he will be killed. He was risking a lot for her.

"Hurry back, ok?" she asked.

"I promise I'll come back to you" he said, taking her face in his hands and kissing her on the lips.

"I love you" she whispered.

"I love you too" he whispered back, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against hers.

He stepped back and turned on the spot, leaving her alone with a pop.

* * *

**AN- Apologies for the delay. Its been an incredibly rough month for me personally. I quit my job for reasons that i wont get into and have hit a rough patch, mentally. I have been caught up reading another story called The Marriage Decree which i finished today. I literally rushed through the last few chapters because i was desperate to get back to Josie and Draco. So now i am unemployed and back to being a stay at home mum with plenty f time on my hands. I hope to upload a chapter a day so stay tuned and hold on tight. It will get crazy from here and we head down from the top of the rollercoaster. Hoping to find a conclusion in the next 10 chapters or so **shrugs**.**

**Please tell me what you think.**


	26. Books and the Diadem

After a quick stop at Hogwarts to dress appropriately, Draco apparated to the gates of Malfoy Manor and entered with ease, strolling down the path with his shoulders back, chin up and pureblood scowl on his face.

He eyeballed the lower-class death eaters who roamed the grounds of the manor and scoffed at their attempts at a greeting. He played the part well.

He entered the Manor through the main doors and found it to be quite busy. As he walked through the entry room, he was greeted by his house elf, Tooley.

"Tooley is surprised to see master Draco away from school" the elf said.

"I'm here to collect some books" Draco said.

"Tooley can help" the elf offered.

"No thanks Tooley, I'd rather do this on my own" Draco said.

At this, Tooley disappeared with a pop and Draco was left to make his way through the manor to the library. He came across several death eaters on his way and made small talk with the ones who were high enough in the ranks to be deserving of it.

He hoped not to see his parents, however, as he rounded a corner near the library, he almost ran head on into his mother.

"Draco. What on earth are you doing here?" Narcissa asked him.

"I have some assignments I need to read up on. The Hogwarts library is abysmal mother" he said, kissing his mother on the cheek and making to continue towards the library.

"Well of course it is. It is certainly no match for ours, that's for sure. I will accompany you" she offered.

"Its quite aright mother, I will come and find you when I'm done so I can say goodbye" he said, hoping that she would leave him be.

"If you insist son. I do have some things to be getting on with anyway. Its quite busy around here this week" she said.

"Why is that?" he asked her.

"The Dark Lord is not well" she whispered. "There's talk of a takeover. You're probably here at a very bad time Draco" she added.

"Mother, that is the absolute last thing I want" Draco said.

"I know son. But still. You're the next best person to lead. If the Dark Lord needs you, you will have to oblige" she said.

"I understand mother" he said, walking away.

He hadn't actually thought about the idea of taking over until now. Of course Voldemort would want to appoint someone to lead in his absence, or in his demise. Of course, he is under the impression that he is immortal. Which, Draco supposed, currently he was. There were only two pieces of his soul tethering him to the mortal world, and after tonight, Draco hoped that they would find a way to destroy the one inside Josie, get into the room of requirement and then it would mean Voldemort would be mortal and vulnerable.

The library was bustling with death eaters, lounging around and talking about things that had no reason to be spoken about in a library.

"Do you know this is a library? Find some place else to lounge around. And put that cigarette out inside" Draco demanded.

Most of the death eaters extinguished their cigarettes and left the room, however one remained.

"I know why you're here boy" the foul-smelling man said.

"You think so?" Draco asked.

"The Dark Lord is unwell. You're here to take over, ain't ya?" he asked.

"What is your name?" Draco asked, ensuring his posture was adequate for intimidation.

"Rowle" he answered.

"Thorfinn Rowle, am I right?" Draco asked.

"You're right" he said, looking confused.

"Now Thorfinn, if I were here to … how did you put it? Take over? Right, if I were here to take over, I'd have stunned the lot of you for daring to congregate in the library in such a disrespectful manor. If I were in a position of power, I would eliminate you from the faction altogether. You disgust me. Leave before I inform the Dark Lord that you are conspiring against him" Draco said.

"I'm not… that's not what I was doing" he trembled.

"Well, it certainly looked like it to me. In fact, I could have sworn that I heard you all talking about overthrowing the Dark Lord, given his current state of health. We wouldn't want that getting back to hm, now would we?" Draco asked.

At this, Rowle butted his cigarette in the ashtray and took it with him when he scurried out of the room.

Draco was quite surprised by his ability to persuade adult death eaters to do what he wanted. Apparently, being married to Voldemort's favourite had its advantages. Perhaps Josie was right to have threatened Carrow like she did.

He hurried down the isles of the library, searching for the place he recalled once seeing books on soul splitting, tethering and horcruxes. There was more information to be read on the subject and he knew the books were there, he just had to find them.

He neared the very back of the library and rounded the corner to the shelf he thought he had seen them on and looked over the shelves.

He searched and searched but could not find the books he knew were there only a few weeks ago.

"They've been removed" came the voice of Narcissa.

"What do you mean mother?" Draco asked, heart pounding in his chest.

"The books from that shelf. They were taken from the library last week" she said.

"Why?" he asked.

"The Dark Lords wishes" she answered.

"Where were they taken to?" he asked.

"Why do you seek them Draco? What are you up to?" she asked.

"I can't tell you mother" he said.

"Draco, my boy, you can tell me anything" she said.

"Not this" he said, turning to leave the library. He hoped that the books were moved to his family's vault at Gringotts.

"I had Deely move the books to your father's attic" Narcissa answered as Draco went to leave.

"I wasn't aware that father had a separate attic" Draco said.

"No one knows of it except myself and your father. Oh, and the elves of course" she said.

"How do I get in there?" he asked.

"You don't" she said.

"Stop this nonsense mother. How do I get those books?" he demanded, making her jump.

"DEELY!" Narcissa called, resulting in an almost immediate pop.

"Mistress? Oh Master Draco, so lovely to be seeing you" Deely bowed to them both.

"Get me the books that I asked you to store in Lucius's attic" she instructed. Deely simply bowed and left with a pop.

"I don't know what you're doing Draco, but you must be safe" Narcissa said.

"I know what I'm doing mother. I have everything figured out. I just… I need some information" he said.

"You're going to end him, aren't you?" she asked.

Draco looked around, making sure the library was clear and they were unheard.

"I have a plan. There are some complications but within a few days, this should all be over" he said.

Narcissa's eyes filled with tears. Draco knew she hated having so much darkness in her home, but he sensed something more in her tears.

"What is it mother?" he asked.

"What will happen? Once it is over? All these people Draco. Will they flee?" she asked.

"Once the Dark Lord is weakened, he needs to be killed. Once that happens, they will leave, just like last time" he said, knowing that in a few minutes, she wouldn't remember this conversation.

Deely returned with a pop and arms full of heavy looking books. Draco took the books from the elf and duplicated them with a wave of his wand.

"What are you doing?" Narcissa asked.

"Deely, take these back to the attic where you got them from and never tell a single person about this" Draco instructed, handing the second stack to the elf and shrinking the other. The elf left with another pop while Draco turned to his mother, wand in hand.

"I have to obliviate you" he said.

"Please Draco, no" she begged.

"I don't want anybody finding out" he said.

"I am skilled in occulmency Draco. No one will find out" she said

"I prefer to be safe" he said, pointing his wand at his mother's face and muttering "obliviate".

He watched as her face went blank and she appeared to stare off into space.

"Mother?" he asked, pocketing the books and retrieving a book on potions from the nearest shelf.

"Hmm?" she asked in a daze.

"You seemed a bit lost there for a moment. Are you ok?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm fine" she said.

"Well I found the book for school, so I'll be going now" he said.

"Book?" she asked.

"Yes, the book I came for. I have an assignment to complete so I must be going" he said.

"Oh" she answered. He feared he had performed the memory charm a little too well.

"Good night mother" he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Oh, right, I am off to bed then Draco. Good night" she said, turning and leaving the library in the direction of her bedroom.

Draco held the book in his hand purposely, as he walked through the halls of the manor to the front door. He felt lucky that he didn't come across anybody else the whole way to the gates and sighed in relief when he was able to disapparate to the front steps of Grimmauld place.

Hours later, in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld place, Lily, Sirius, Josie, Harry and Draco sat pouring through books about souls, soul bonding, tethering a person to the mortal world, soul splitting, soul regeneration and the process by which to create a horcrux.

"This is insane, there is nothing in here about Horcruxes being inside a person" Harry said.

"That's because its not normal. Listen to this: _A Horcrux is placed inside an inanimate object as to give the soul more protection. While it is thought that a living creature can more safely protect itself, thereby protecting the soul within, living beings are more likely to come to harm, thereby rendering the horcrux destroyed" _Harry said.

"So.. people don't usually use living beings to create horcruxes. We know that. He was desperate when he made Nagini because he wanted seven pieces of his soul. He didn't realise I was already made so now technically, he has eight" Josie said.

"Eight?" Harry asked.

"Seven horcruxes and himself. Although, now he only has three" he said.

"Given that everything we've assumed is correct" Sirius said.

"Its correct. I just know it is. There's the diadem and me. That's it" Josie said.

"You just know? How can you just know?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I just… I can feel it. Ever since I came to understand that there is a part of me that is him, I can feel it. I can feel the other parts. I can see the diadem. I can see _him_. When I close my eyes, I can see him" she said.

"That's creepy, don't do that" Harry said.

Draco moved closer to Josie and rubbed her back. She closed her eyes for a moment and imagined she was studying for her exams, not trolling through every book that existed in the Malfoy and Black libraries to find out how to survive being killed.

It was 3 in the morning when Josie looked up from her book, red eyed.

Harry was asleep in a chair in the corner with a book in his lap and Lily and Sirius were yawning at the table where they had all been since Draco left for the Manor hours earlier.

"We need to get back to school" Josie said to Draco.

"No way, you're not going to school, you're staying right here" Lily said.

"Lil, they're the head boy and girl. If they're not at school in the morning, there will be talk" Sirius said.

"I just… I need to spend time with Josie" Lily said.

"Mum, we will find something. There will be a way" Josie said, getting up from the table and stretching.

"Besides, I'm going to have Snape call a mandatory meeting so I can get into the room of requirement" Draco said.

"You'll just have Snape do that, will you?" Harry asked, suspicious.

"Harry" Josie scolded.

"What?" he asked.

"No, its ok. Snape knows what's going on. He wants to help" Draco said.

"Well, we all know why, don't we?" Sirius asked, looking to Lily.

"Snape was once my very good friend. That's all, Sirius" Lily said.

"Alright, but I want you to come back here every night until we find a way to fix this" Lily said.

Josie hugged her mother and Sirius and patter Harry on the shoulder as she and Draco left the kitchen. Lily followed them to the front door, where they stood hand in hand and disapparated to Hogsmead.

As soon as they arrived, alarms began sounding, alerting to intruders in the village. Josie held her breath, but Draco stepped forward into the street.

"Cut the alarms" he said out loud as a death eater approached.

"Why are you here at this hour?" the death eater asked.

"My wife and I were on a date. We returned to this spot so we can take a tunnel back to the castle" Draco said.

"Your wife?" he was asked, clearly by a death eater who had no idea who Draco and Josie Malfoy were.

"My name is Draco Malfoy, and this is my wife, Josie Malfoy. Perhaps you know of us? We sit at the Dark Lords side at meetings which is perhaps why you've never met us. Have you not attended any?" Draco asked.

"Of course I have" the man answered, hesitating.

"Well, shut the bloody sirens off and let us be" Draco answered.

The Death eater hesitated for a moment before waving his arm and shutting off the alarm. Draco and Josie made their way to the back door of an abandoned house that most people knew contained one of the last secret passage ways into the castle. They hurried back to their dorm room without saying a word to each other and when they found their bed, they collapsed in a heap, fully clothed.

Ober the next few days, Snape had held mandatory meetings in the great hall while Draco and Josie attempted to get into the room of requirement. It seemed, however, that the room still refused to open, indicating that someone was in there still.

The couple returned to Grimmauld place and read book after book, going over the same ones as others in case someone had forgotten something or glossed over something. They took notes and shared ideas, however, nothing of great value came of it.

* * *

On the third day, Josie made a conceited effort to remain outside the room of requirement, all day, hoping to catch someone on their way in or out. It had been hours before she came face to face with Desmond.

"Des, I need to get into the room" she said.

"Why? You're safe" he said, nursing a black eye.

"Are they still hurting you?" she asked.

"The carrows? Why would they stop?" he asked.

"Because I told them to" she said quietly.

"They're not going to listen to you" he said.

"Can you get me int the room?" she asked.

"I'm not supposed to" he said.

"I just need to see who's in there. Then I'll leave" she said.

"You won't hurt anyone?" he asked.

"Des, why would I hurt anyone?" she asked.

"You're one of them now. You're in with the death eaters" he said.

"I'm not Des, not really" she said.

"But they look up to you?" he asked.

"Sort of. Its complicated. Just know that I can't give you the answers now, but I will have them soon" she said, looking into his eyes. "Come on Des, you were one of my first friends here" she said.

"Your first boyfriend" he said.

"And we were best friends too Des. I'm still me" she said.

AT this, he closed his eyes and looked up at the wall. Josie followed his line of sight to the door that now stood across form her. She smiled and hugged Desmond before making her way into the room.

The room of requirement was unlike anything she had seen before. It was enormous. Strung from beams and poles all around the room were hammocks and banners, symbolising three of the four houses. Josie looked around and saw several people reading, some sleeping and some talking.

She made her way around and looked for a person who she felt could be in charge. Ginny and Ron sat at one end of the room at a desk that stood higher up on some stairs. Behind the desk was photos of family members, Harry, Lyra, Carina, Hermione and several other students who hadn't returned for the school year. Josie saw someone tap Ginny on the shoulder and say something to her, making her stop what she was doing and look up.

"Josie? How did you… what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I need something" josie said.

"Oh, so now you need something, you finally think we're worth your valuable time?" Ginny said.

"Please Gin, you need to listen to me. We need to talk in private" Josie said, hoping that honesty was the best way to go with the girl who was once her best friend.

"Why should I give you any of my time?" Ginny asked.

"Because…. I can put a stop to all of this" Josie said.

Ginny's eyes widened and she looked to Ron who was wearing some kind of head set and speaking to a microphone. He nodded to her and Ginny indicated for Josie to follow her to a room that had suddenly appeared to the back of the greater room.

"You better make this quick" Ginny said, not sitting down.

"Do you know what a horcrux is?" Josie asked.

"No"

"It's when a person tears apart their soul and implants part of it into an object. The object is called a horcrux. The horcrux has methods of self defence and as long as it exists, the creator can not be killed" Josie said.

"So like, a spare soul?" Ginny asked, intrigued.

"No, not really. Its like a magical tether. The physical body of the creator can be destroyed, but the soul, the pieces of the soul, remain" Josie said.

"You know who?" Ginny asked, outing the pieces together.

"He made several. We think seven all up" Josie said.

"What are they?" Ginny asked.

"A few different things. Most of them have been destroyed" Josie said.

"What do you need me for?" Ginny asked.

"I need the room. There is one in the room of requirement. In the room where things are hidden" Josie said. "I need everyone to leave this room so I can open the other one" she added.

"Do you realise how hard it will be to get those people to leave?" Ginny asked.

"I do. I know what they've been going through and believe me, I have tried to help" Josie said.

"How? How have you tried to help, Josie?" she asked, suddenly angry.

"I have stopped most of the torture, I have prevented detentions. Draco has spoken with Snape about the Carrows and he's reigning them in" Josie said.

"Not good enough Ginny said, arms folded.

"I'll cast a shield on the whole corridor. People don't have to leave the floor just the room. It will take me 5 minutes to find what I need, then they can go back. I'll cast a shield, put a delay on it and it will stay till I'm out" she said.

"You can't do that, it takes someone very powerful to cast something that strong" Ginny said.

"I can Gin. There's more to the horcruxes that I haven't told you" she said, knowing that she would need to tell her about herself.

"Tell me then" Ginny said, now looking concerned.

"I am… I have been a horcrux, since before I was born" she said, resulting in a laugh from Ginny.

"Now you're just being ridiculous. That's impossible" Ginny said.

"Its true. Please believe me. The night Voldemort killed my dad, he tried to make a horcrux and thought that he failed. Only, he didn't, and the piece of soul that was destined to be placed into an object, found the closest, safest place to go. An unborn baby. I've spent the last two nights with my mum, dad and Harry trying to figure out how to get rid of it without dying" she said, causing Ginny's face to drop.

"Harry? Is he ok? Where is he?" Ginny asked, suddenly quite worried.

"Harry is fine. He is with our parents and sisters. They've been hunting and destroying the horcruxes all year and there are two left. The one in the room and the one in me" she said.

"So, to destroy these horcruxes…" Ginny said.

"The vessel must be destroyed with a certain type of magic" Josie said. "Fiendfyre, basilisk venom and a few others that we aren't too sure of" Josie said.

"That's… I don't… There is one inside you? How are you going to get it out?" Ginny asked.

"We don't know yet. It looks like… If we are to destroy you-know-who, the vessels of all of the horcruxes must be destroyed before he can be killed" Josie said.

"You're a vessel Josie" Ginny said.

"I am" Josie said sadly.

"You have to die?" Ginny asked, now completely aware of the obvious.

"It appears so" Josie said.

Ginny sat down on the chair beside which she had been standing and looked up at the ceiling.

"I don't… I can't… You can't just give up Josie. There has to be another way" Ginny said.

"That's what we're hoping for" Josie said.

"What about getting the bit of him out of you and putting it back in him?" Ginny asked.

"Remorse. He doesn't have it. Isn't capable of it" Josie said. "We're reading as much information as we can to try and find a way. It might not come to that. But then, it might" Josie said.

"I…" Ginny began, but no words continued from her mouth.

Josie moved to the girl who used to be one of her best friends and put her arms around her. Together, the girls cried. Not necessarily for Josie's potential impending death, but for the last 11 months. For the time that they hadn't spoken, hadn't been near each other. Josie felt her heart grow a little in this moment, but it was short lived.

"Can we get people out? I'll go first and make sure its safe. I'll cast a shield" Josie said.

"I'll try" Ginny said.

"They look up to you Gin. You're a great leader" Josie said, leaving the small room and making her way through the crowd towards the exit.

She heard Ginny begin to speak out loud as she left through the door and found herself in the corridor in front of Barnarbus the Barmy. She looked up ad down the hall to ensure no one was here before taking out her wand, something she rarely had to do, and cast a protego shield all around the corridor. She opened the door of an abandoned classroom, the one she and Draco had been in just days ago where he revealed to her that she was a horcrux. Back then it all seemed to simple: Get the diadem, destroy the diadem, destroy Voldemort. Now she had to die, and it was beginning to feel like there definitely was no other way.

Josie's shield extended up and down the corridor and included a repellent charm also. As students began filing out of the room of requirement, Josie cast a stasis charm on her shield and made her way to the door. Once Ginny and Ron left the room, the door vanished, a sign that the room was now empty.

Josie walked past it three times, desperately pleading for the room where things are hidden and upon the third pass, the door appeared. She pulled the door open and ran into the familiar room, making her way down the isles towards where she knew the diadem would be. She reached the vanishing cabinet that had now been completely destroyed, something she assumed Harry had done in his grief at losing Dumbledore, and turned to find the diadem in the place where she had seen it last.

She reached into the bottomless pit that was her bag and removed the sword of Gryffindor, hoping to make this quick.

She reached for he diadem, but before she could set her hands on it, it emitted a loud screeching sound that made Josie's head want to explode.

The sword fell to the floor and Josie fell to her knees. The room spun and she squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened the, she was no longer in the room of requirement, but in a room surrounded by people she recognised as death eaters and Voldemort's followers.

"There is an urgent matter I must take care of at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry" she found herself saying in a voice that wasn't her own. "I fear that this is going t be a matter of life and death and I request all my followers to be in attendance" the voice said. She recognised the voice as that of Voldemort, but she could feel _herself_ saying the words.

As she looked around, she saw that she was seated in Voldemort's chair at the table at the Manor and all eyes were on her. She could see the dear in the people's eyes but had no feelings of concern. Instead, all she could feel was hatred and cold indifference to those around her.

"I need the girl Josie Malfoy, formerly Potter and I need you all to retrieve her, alive" she said.

As the room erupted in chatter, she took the opportunity to look down at the cutlery in front of her. That's when she noticed her reflection in the silver wear. It wasn't her straight black hair, green eyes and light spattering of freckles looking back at her. Instead, she saw the slits for nostrils, the pale skin and the red glaring eyes peering back into her eyes.

Josie's eyes flew open and was back in the room of requirement, on her knees beside the sword of Gryffindor. She grabbed it by the hilt and stood to her feet, bringing the sword up over her head. She thrust it down has hard as she could into the diadem. The horcrux attempted to resist, however the sword, imbued with the venom of the basilisk, destroyed it immediately.

Josie breathed heavily out of fear, adrenalin, relief, shock… She wasn't sure. She knew that the vision she had was real and that the castle was under threat. She carefully placed the diadem and the sword into her bag and fled the room, slamming the door as she left.

"Is it done? Did you do it?" Ginny asked.

"It's done" Josie said, noticing that the door to the room appeared almost s soon as it disappeared.

"They are desperate to go back in" Ginny said.

"Get them to stay. I think Voldemort is coming here. He knows about the last horcrux" Josie said.

"How do you know?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know. I think… I might have… I don't know. I had a vision of him, I suppose" she said, not wanting to sound bizarre I she said she _was_ him.

"Vision? So now you're a seer?" Ginny asked.

"No, nothing like that. I think… I think we're linked. The last two pieces of his soul. I somehow was able to see his mind… He's coming here. He knows what I am and he's after me" she said.

"I'll go find Professor McGonagall" Ginny said. "Stay safe Jose" Ginny said, hugging her friend for what could be the last time.

"I'll do my best" she said. "Oh, Ginny?" she asked, as the girls began to go their separate ways, "Take care of my brother, will you? If I'm not around?" Josie asked.

"I promise" Ginny said, with tears streaming down her face.

* * *

**AN - Oh no, did anyone cry? Sorry. We're building up speed now. If you're keeping up, its now May 1998. The next chapter will be a version of the battle of hogwarts and we'll see whether or not Josie has to die. Havent really figured it out myself yet so stay tuned. **

**As always, apologies for typos and grammatical errors. I actually know what i'm doing, but with this chapter, i did get on a roll and may have missed bucket loads of editing. **


	27. The battle of Hogwarts

**Loads of Typos... Sorry not sorry. Smashed out this chapter. Guess what... Its the last one! **

**Stay tuned for the epilogue, currently in progress. **

**Also, i am deeply sorry for what happens. I honestly wanted to do it the other way but i thought... who needs a happily ever after? Right?**

* * *

Lily sat anxiously in her living room, waiting for Josie and Draco to return for the afternoon. They had promised that they would come early, given that it was a Friday and classes were expected to finish early.

She sat, stood, paced and sat again, wondering how it could be that Josie would make her wait this long. It was now late into the afternoon and Lily was eager for some kind of sgn that Josie and Draco had simply changed their minds.

Sirius entered the room and flicked on the wireless, tapping it once with his wand and muttering "Diggory", which was the password of the day.

"I forgot that they had a programmed planned for today: Lily said sadly.

"Relax, Lil, I'm sure Josie and Draco are huddled up in an alcove somewhere snogging each other before they come" Sirius said.

"Sirius" she exclaimed, not wanting to think about Josie that way.

"What? You and James did it. Daily. Hourly, if I recall" he said.

"That's not the same. I was seventeen. Josie is…" she said.

"Josie… is sixteen with the brain of someone wiser than most. She is also married" Sirius said.

"But she's still just a girl" Lily said, sitting down with her face in her hands.

"With enormous responsibilities. Let her have a little fun every now and then" he said.

The wireless kicked in with the unmistakable voices of Ron and Neville.

"Good evening folks, we come to you from the centre of the commotion with a special announcement. The weather is great, but we need a little lightning, some stars in the darkness and a flower to make it better. That's right folks, if only we had those things, the commotion here would be less intense"

"Lightening, stars and a flower?" Sirius asked. "What kind of request is that?" he added looking to Lily who was now standing.

"Are you daft dear husband? Lightening? Harry. Stars in the darkness? Sirius Black? A flower?" She asked.

"They want us to come to Hogwarts?" Sirius asked.

"HARRY?" Lily called up the stairs.

It wasn't a minute before Harry stood before his mum with a puzzled look on his face.

"Get dressed, we leave in two minutes" Lily said, following him upthe stairs to prepare Lyra and Carina to stay home alone.

"No way, I'm coming" Carina said.

"Not negotiable. You're underage" Lily said.

"So is Josie" Lyra said.

"That's different" Lily said.

"You expect us to stay here while you all go off and… what? What are you going in to?" Carina asked.

"I… I'm not sure exactly but we need to go" Lily said.

"What if something happens?" Lyra asked.

"Everything will be fine" Lily said, kissing her twins on the foreheads.

"We just… wait for you to come back? How long will you be?" Carina asked.

"As long as it takes. Now listen to your mother. We will be back as soon as we can. Until then, eat your supper and go to bed on time" Sirius said from the doorway, ceasing the argumentative conversation that was taking place.

"Thanks" Lily said as they headed back down the stairs.

"Ready?" Lily asked Harry who was waiting near the door.

"What exactly are we walking into?" Harry asked.

"No idea mate" Sirius said as they exited the door and stood on the front doorstep.

"Great. Love that" Harry said.

"Now the voices on the wireless indicated that there was something at the Hogs Head which would help us into the castle" Sirius said.

"How do you gather?" Lily asked.

"The dirtiest place to get a firewhisky is the place less risky?" Sirius said.

"I agree" Lily said as she held onto their hands and disapparated with them directly into the bar.

When he focus returned, she looked around and sat the familiar bar, although she hadn't been there in years.

"What on earth is going on?" Came the voice of Abe, the bartender.

"We need to get to Hogwarts. Can you help us?" Asked Harry.

"Of course I can, why the devil are you here?" he asked.

"We were called upon" Sirius said, reaching behind the bar for a bottle of firewhisky.

"You cant take that Sirius Black" he said.

"Things might get a little hairy, I think I'll need it. Don't worry, I'll pay you for it tomorrow" he said.

"Please, can you tell us how to get to the castle?" Lily asked.

"There's a passageway in the basement" he said.

"Nonsense, I know of every way to get in and out of that castle and you're wrong. WHats in that basement old man?" Sirius asked, brandishing his wand.

"Like I said. There is a passageway. It revealed itself a few months ago. Kids come and go, I give them meals and provisions. But if you'd prefer, you can make your way out into the street where the death eaters have alarms set to go off when someone is out there. They aren't letting anyone get off lightly neither" he said.

"You're… are you related to Dumbledore?" Harry asked, looking the man up and down.

"I am a Dumbledore.. Aberforth Dumbledore" he said.

"Professor Dumbledore's brother Harry" Sirius said, still suspicious of the man.

"Oh. I didn't know he had a brother" Harry said.

"I don't like to advertise. People begin to expect certain things" the older man said. "Right… through here if you're going" he added as they reached what looked to be a trap door.

"Sirius, I trust him" Lily said quietly.

"Lil, I just…" Sirius began, however, Harry had already pulled the door open and began climbing down.

"Its just as he said. There looks to be a tunnel heading towards the direction of the school" Harry said from the door below the basement.

The three of them thanked Aberforth and walked down the passageway which seemed to go on forever. At several points, it climbed up and levelled out before descending again. The walls, floor and ceiling were all dirt and at times, it became so cold they could almost not bear it.

"We must be below the lake" Lily said.

"We're somewhere. We've been walking for ages" Harry said.

Almost as soon as he spoke, they came upon a door which blended perfectly with the dirt. Sirius pushed Harry and Lily aside and opened the door slowly, wand in hand.

"What is this place?" Harry asked as they were met with a large room filled with hammocks, banners and people gathered in all the corners.

"Harry?" Came the voice of Ron from what looked to be the wireless set up.

"Harry, Mister and Mrs Black. Welcome to Hogwarts" Neville Longbottom said.

"We got the message" Lily said.

"Very clever" Sirius added.

"What's going on? Why are we here?" Harry asked.

"Its Josie. Ginny said from the other side of the room. She managed to get in here earlier this afternoon and cleared the room out. She really is quite something. She cast a protective shield over the entire corridor so everyone would feel safe leaving. She told me everything. The thing in the room of requirement, it has been destroyed" Ginny said, eliciting a sigh of relief from Lily and a grin from Harry.

"That's it, that's all of them" Sirius said.

"Except the obvious" Ginny said, looking to Harry for the first time.

"How do we… We didn't have enough time. We don't know how to get it out" Lily said, eyes welling up with tears.

"Its too late. Voldemort is coming here. She saw him. He wants her and he is coming here to get her" Ginny said.

"When?" Harry asked, but before he could answer, there was a loud bang from outside the room. Like an explosion.

"I guess now" Sirius said, heading for the door to the room.

"Where is Josie?" Lily called back to Ginny.

"I don't know, she went to find Malfoy" Ginny said, turning to Harry who hadn't moved from his spot.

As Lily left the room, she glanced back and saw a frantic Ron speaking into the microphone of the wireless and saw Harry encasing Ginny in his arms while the girl's eyes erupted in tears.

"I didn't know Harry and Ginny were a thing" Lily said to Sirius as they found themselves in the seventh-floor corridor which was now filled with dust and smoke.

"What do you think is happening?" Sirius asked.

"Well, they're together, obviously" Lily said.

"No, Lil, I mean… the smoke. The dust. What's going on?" Sirius asked.

"It's the beginning of the end of the war" Lily said, heading off towards the headmasters tower.

Josie sat on her bed beside Draco an hour later, desperate to pause time. This was the end. She knew that after this night, there would be no more.

"Please Josie, don't do this. Don't go" Draco said.

"I have to Draco. You heard him; he will send every last death eater into this castle until he finds me" she said.

"We can go to him, tell him that you want to stay a horcrux. Leave it inside of you and stand by his side. He likes you Josie. I will let you be his number one. He'll protect you" Draco said.

"Draco, that won't happen. You know it. He is scared now. He knows what I am and he thinks I'm unstable. He wants to kill me. I've seen it. He has no idea that the others are destroyed. He is certain about the diary, and he knows we know, but he thinks the rest are fine" she said.

"You need to stay out of his head" Draco said.

"That's the only way I can know how this will all turn out. You won't let me leave, what else am I supposed to do?" she said.

"Stay here. Stay safe" he said.

"I should be out there fighting, Draco. Who knows what's going on? We know the people out there, we know what they're capable of. They aren't going to be stunning people. They're fighting to kill" she said, knowing that when she eventually convinces Draco to let her out of the room, she will more than likely come face to face with dead bodies.

"I need you Josie. When this is all over, who do you think I will go home to? My parents? They wont have me. I'm a traitor now" Draco said.

"My parents will help you. The Order of the Phoenix will help you. I've written it all in my journal Draco. All you need to do is show them" she said.

"No" he said.

"What do you mean no?" she asked.

"If you die, I die" he said.

"Don't be ridiculous" she said, placing her hands on his face.

"Why? I cant live without you Josie. You're everything to me" he said.

"Please, live Draco. Live for me, live because I don't get to" she begged, tears streaming down her face. She had a feeling he would do this, but she wanted nothing more than for him to carry on, live a life that she could be proud of. Live a life she would have wanted to live.

"There's no point Josie. You don't get it. Without you, there is no life" he said.

"There will be Draco. Now please, I need to do this" she said.

Draco closed his eyes and allowed her to stand. He remained in place, crouched beside the bed where she had been sitting. With a wave of his hand, the complex wards came down and they could now hear everything going on outside. There were explosions and screams coming from right outside their door. There was dust falling from the ceiling and people calling out the names of their friend.

Josie turned to look at Draco who was standing, staring at his feet.

"Look at me Draco" she demanded. "I love you, ok?" she said, walking back to where he stood, tears streaking down his face. "Draco, you have given me the most amazing years of my life. You are the only person to truly have understood me for who I am. Regardless of where this night takes me, takes us, you are the most important person to me. I will never forget what you've done for me. All that you've given me. You turned me from a cynical brat to an amazingly complex human being that is capable of loving someone else. I never thought id have that. Please… Draco… Don't ruin what could be an amazing life for yourself. Move on, live and love. Build an empire and be someone great. Make me proud to be your wife Draco. Please. Do not wallow in the aftermath of tonight" Josie said.

"I… I love you Josie" he said, kissing her passionately, before turning away so he didn't have to watch her leave him behind.

Within moments after Josie left, Draco gathered his composure and opened the door. He was met with scenes of total carnage. The walls of the castle were completely gone and there were injured people everywhere. Draco did what he could as he ran through the halls looking for something constructive to contribute. He was already giving his wife to the slaughter, the least he could do was try and save some people.

As he ran, he caught sight of a flash of red hair. He initially thought it might have been the Weasley girl, but instincts told him it was Lily. He turned and followed the flash and as he rounded a corner, he saw her standing face to face with three death eaters. They were taunting her, playing with her, as though they knew she was done for. Draco approached and realised Lily was wandless. This was not good.

"What are you three doing?" Draco demanded, asserting himself to the lower ranking death eaters.

"Just playing with our prey" one of them said.

"Good, well, seeing as though you caught it for me, run along. Find something else to play with" Draco said, flicking his wand and casting a non verbal net at the other end of the corridor.

"Draco, I thought…" Lily pleaded. Draco just looked at her and back to the death eaters.

"We saw her first" another death eater said.

"Shes pretty fit too, we was gonna take her into the classroom over there. Have some fun with her before we kill 'er" the first death eater said.

"Great idea. Might do that myself. Where's her wand?" he asked.

One of the death eaters handed it to Draco reluctantly.

"Now… run along so I can enjoy my gift in solitude" Draco said, watching as the three men turned and walked in the direction f the trap he had set.

Draco grabbed Lily by the arm and pulled her towards the classroom as the net he cast caught the three men and held them in place above the ground. Draco stunned them with a flick of his wand as he entered the room with Lily.

"Sorry about that. Are you ok?" he asked, handing her wand to her.

"I'm fine. Where's Josie?" she asked.

"I had her in our dormitory. I was begging her to stay. I even had wards up and everything. No one was getting in or out… But…" he said, tears forming in his eyes once again.

"She's stubborn" Lily said, her eyes matching Draco's tear-filled ones. "Where did she go?" she asked.

"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me where she was. And she's exceptional at occlumency. I tried to read her mind" he said.

"Come on, we'll find her" Lily said, making to leave.

"I… I don't think we will" he said, making Lily pause in her tracks. "I mean, she was heading straight for wherever Voldemort was. That was a while ago. I think… I don't want it to be true, but she'd be there by now" he said.

"Draco come on. Josie's a talented witch. More talented than anyone, even Voldemort. If anyone can get around this its her" Lily said, not wanting to believe the worse.

"She said goodbye. She told me to live on, to be great, not to wallow. SHE ISNT COMING BACK! Don't you understand?!" He said, full of emotion.

"I… I didn't realise how much you cared for her" Lily said, sitting back down.

"I love her more than anything. More than my family, more than my own self. If she dies, I may as well die too" he cried.

Lily stood and hugged Draco. He returned her hug and together they shared this moment while all around them, chaos, explosions and screams could be heard.

When they parted, they made to leave the room in silence. Each having no idea what to do. Before they could make it into the corridor, the voice of Vodemort echoed around the walls of the castle.

_You have all fought bravely. I call upon my forces to retreat. I have what I want. Collect your wounded, gather the dead. You will be hearing from me again._

"NOO! What does that mean? He has what he wants? Does he have Josie?" Draco cried. His face was lined with tears through the dirt that had created a mask on his face.

Lily collapsed to the floor and wept into her hands.

"We need to go. We need to find the others. I'm sure Sirius will want to know if you're ok" Draco said, helping his mother in law up off the cobblestone floor.

They made their way to the great hall, which is where they expected everyone to gather. Along the way, they helped people who were injured and levitated dead bodies either alongside them, or out onto the grounds, depending on whether they were friend of foe.

In the great hall, they found Harry and Sirius waiting anxiously near the doors.

"I saw Josie, mum, I tried to stop her but she stunned me. She stunned me then threw a protection charm over me. Why would she do that?" Harry said.

"She saved me too" came the voice of Desmond Longbottom who had been helped I from outside. "I saw her running towards the forest and I tried to stop her but some death eaters came upon us. They hit me with a curse, but Josie deflected it so easily. I've never seen anything like that. No words, no wand, she just waved her arm and a bubble formed around me" he said.

"She saved me too" came the voice of one of the Weasley twins.

"If not for Josie, Fred would have been hit with the killing curse. She was coming past where we were fighting and did the same thing. No wand, no words, just a wave of her arm. Incredible" said the other twin who must have been George.

Lily looked around the room as more and more stories of Josie's heroics came about. It seemed as though most people had seen her and witnessed great power from her.

"She didn't hurt anyone though. She just threw out all these incredibly powerful shields and continued on her way" someone said.

"She never even spoke a word" came the voice of another.

Sirius held onto Lily as she took in the situation. She had no idea whether Josie was live or dead and it was killing her not to know.

People began lining up the bodies of the dead, which turned out to be very few. Draco recognised his friends first, Crabbe and Goyle, who had been placed with the supporters.

"Put them outside, they weren't on our side" Draco said dully to someone who was naming the bodies.

"They're your friends" someone said. He wasn't sure who.

"No. Not really. They're nobody now" he answered, moving along the line of bodies.

He saw a small boy what he recognised as the one who always took photos of everyone. Colin somebody, he thought. There was the body of a girl, who's face had been torn apart by some kind of animal. Draco has no idea who she could be. One of the Patil twins and a girl he recognised as Hufflepuff Hannah Abbot lay among the dead as well as some adults that Draco didn't recognise.

Draco made his way, along with some others, to investigate the grounds for the injured and the dead. As he left the great hall, he noticed that the light of morning was just appearing over the horizon. He helped an injured 5th year up and into the castle, without uttering so much as a word, as he was lost way into the depths of his grief.

Something within him knew. There was something missing in the world. Something strange that he hadn't realised existed but now it was gone the absence of it was overwhelming. He and several others stood at the doors of the castle and it was then that Draco noticed a group of people walking towards them.

"Potter" he called, and within moments, Harry, Lily and Sirius were by his side.

"Is it…?" she asked, not able to make out who was walking towards them in the building light.

Draco ran out of the doors, followed by several others who noticed the people heading towards the castle in a group

The closer they came, the more easily Draco could make out the figures. The charge was led by Voldemort himself, closely circled by the deranged Bellatrix who was skipping and singing something he couldn't quite make out. Hagrid appeared to be behind them and his parents were steps behind.

The group came closer still and it wasn't until they were almost at castle that Draco noticed that Hagrid was carrying something. Or someone.

He looked from Hagrid to Voldemort to his parents and back to the half giant. Before he knew who it was, he knew it was Josie.

His body was frozen, his mind was blank. He stood, stuck to the spot as the most evil, cruel being to roam this planet loomed closer still. Somewhere behind him he heard the scream that he only assumed was Lily.

"SILENCE" Voldemort roared in a voice he didn't know the snake was capable of. It must have been a charm because Lily's screams ceased immediately, but her mouth continued moving. She was held back by Sirius who's face was formed into a fierce angry scowl accompanied by tears. At the sound of the command, the people inside the castle all filed out onto the grounds.

"Josie Potter is dead" Voldemort exclaimed, his voice echoing around the grounds.

The spell he cast must have lifted at that moment, because the screams and cries that emerged from the crowd were all that Draco could hear in his head. However, suddenly, he looked around and realised it was him screaming. His voice, his words, calling for his wife, begging for her to be ok. Refusing to acknowledge that the body that was lying limp in Hagrid's arms was his Josie.

He felt arms around his body and had only realised at that moment that he had collapsed. Harry, the least likely person to be supporting him in this moment was helping him up off the ground and holding him steady as his own eyes filled with tears. Harry Potter, his nemesis, the one who should really be grieving, was helping Draco up off the dewy grass.

"I have won. Join me now or perish" Voldemort declared.

"Bullshit. I don't believe you" came the screaming echo of Hazel.

"I can assure you, the girl is dead. I checked her myself" Voldemort said. "But if you don't believe me…" he gestured to his death eaters and they pulled on a rope that Draco hadn't noticed was tied to Hagrid. Hagrid moved forwards and stood before the crowd. "Put her down" Voldemort instructed, and Hagrid ever so gently laid Josie on the grass.

Lily rushed forward and knelt before her daughter, placing her face against her cheek. "Josie? Baby? Can you hear me?" Lily begged. There was no answer. No response. Nothing.

Draco knelt beside Lily, somehow managing to make his legs cooperate with his brain. He carefully brushed the hair from Josie's face and placed his fingers against her neck to check for a pulse. He Begged and hoped and prayed to Merlin, Salazar, and even Godric that Josie would have a pulse, but the longer he felt, the more he realised that she was truly gone.

Josie was dead.

"No, no. Its not happening. Someone needs to do something. Madame Pomfrey? Where's the nurse?" he was calling.

"There is no use Draco" Voldemort said, which only enraged him further.

"POMFREY?!" Draco called, and the nurse emerged from the crowd. "Check her" he demanded, standing up and pointing to his wife's lifeless body.

"Mr Malfoy, Draco… Shes gone son. I cast a diagnosis already. It was the killing curse" she said.

"No. Do it again" he demanded, but the nurse just stood there. "DO IT AGAIN" he roared, looking around at the crowd who were looking on in sympathy.

Lily and Sirius were crouching beside Josie, Harry was crying with Ginny in his arms. Hazel was being held onto by Seamus and Josie's other friends were in various manners of disbelief.

No one moved. No one would help.

"Draco, my boy. I know you are upset now but I can assure you, you will get past this. Join me, return to your parents and you'll be greatly rewarded. I'll overlook the acts of defiance as teenage normalcy and you'll stand at my side. We need you with us Draco. We need your purity on our side where you belong" Voldemort said.

"Draco, please" His father called, holding his mother back.

Draco turned to look at the snake like creature that dared to speak to him. He thought for a moment about casting the killing curse at him, but thought better of it. Afterall, he was better than that. He looked to his parents and saw the fear in their eyes. They were afraid that they would be on the wrong side. He knew his mother only believed what she was told to believe and followed the side that she believed would keep them safest, however, now she just looked concerned for her son. His father appeared to be unchanged. Truly ready to follow Voldemort no matter what.

He looked back to his wife and knelt down to kiss her once more on the forehead as she lay dead on the wet morning grass. The sun was shining now as he knelt beside her, illuminating her hair in the way he liked, showing the subtle red glow that you only saw when the sun hit it just so. As he stared down at his wife, something shiny caught his gaze. Josie held in her belt a blade that appeared to be a smaller sized replica of the sword of Gryffindor. He knew in this moment what he had to do.

He looked to Voldemort and back to Josie as he made to kiss her once more, moving her hair from her face in an act of love. As he did, he retrieved the blade from her belt and slid it into the sleeve of the jumper he was wearing.

"Don't stop me" he whispered to Lily, before he stood and walked the short distance to where Voldemort was standing. He stood before the dark wizard who had just murdered his wife and initially offered his surrender.

"Kneel before me Draco and show me your allegiance" Draco nodded and made to kneel, instead, however, he pulled the dagger out from his sleeve and rammed it into the throat of Voldemort. He withdrew the blade and watched as the blood spurted out of Voldemort quicker than he thought possible. In this moment, several things happened at once. Many of the death eaters turned and ran from the grounds, Bellatrix screamed in horror, quickly being silenced by a curse that came from somewhere behind Draco, sending her to the ground with an echo of her fear etched on her face. There was an audible gasp from the crowd and Draco found himself seeing fear in the eyes of the Dark Lord, whose hands were now grasping at his neck, as Draco readied himself to plunge the blade in his flesh once more.

"There are no more horcruxes" Draco said roughly ready to end it.

He was stopped, however, by Harry, who held onto his hand.

"It has to be me. The prophesy says" Harry said quickly. Draco, acknowledged Harry and handed the blade over, allowing Harry to drive the blade deep into the cavity where a caring person's heart would be.

The two of them watched as the blood of Voldemort pooled at their feet, signalling the end of Voldemort's existence.

Draco turned to Harry and the two of them embraced, like brothers.

* * *

**The end. WOWEE that was a long ass story. I'm so glad that i stuck with it and made it to the end in a way that i ****envisioned**** it ****initially****. I am really sorry to have killed off ****Josie****. I was going to save her, Harry style, but, reality is not full of happily ever afters. Why should this be any different? She was brave and bold and a true Gryffindor till the end. **

**RIP JOSIE POTTER MALFOY**

**Epilogue is currently in progress. **


	28. James' Sacrifice - Next Gen - Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

Draco walked the hall of his medical ward at St Mungos where he had just spent the last 20 hours on shift.

He had been in the surgical ward for most of the night and after a three-hour sleep, had resumed work the following morning. He knew there would be hell to pay once people found out, but he was dedicated to his job as a healer. In fact, he had become the most renowned healer in all of wizarding UK and had earned the title as premium diagnostician. When there were curses, spells and injuries that no one else could diagnose, they would be sent to Draco and he would solve it within hours.

He wasn't smug about it. In fact, over the years, despite the hype following the death of Voldemort, he had become the most humble man one could meet.

Once the war was declared officially over and the death eaters were rounded up, the trials began and Draco found that he was the sole remaining heir to the Malfoy estate. His father was sentence to forty years in Azkaban for his role in aiding Voldemort's reign and his mother was given twenty.

Following their incarcerations, Draco sold off the Manor and donated a lot of his fortune to the victims of the war.

He left enough money for a new home on a decent sized block of land and some left over for a few luxuries.

For years after the battle Draco thought about everything that happened that night, every moment of every day. It took him many many years to stop the nightmares, but now, 13 years later, he was mostly healed from the trauma of that night.

He entered his office and collected his things ready to go home for the day. Now that he had stopped, he realised how exhausted he actually was.

He took the lift to the disapparation floor and once he was in place, he turned on the spot thinking of his home.

He landed in the cosy garden space that had been created especially for apparition. It wasn't completely hidden but it was secluded enough so people could subtly apparate in and out.

He stopped and smelt the bright red rose that had opened earlier that week and closed his eyes, taking in the beauty that surrounded him. Something he had taken to doing since the war years.

He walked up the steps of his muggle style house and unlocked the front door with his muggle style keys. He removed his cloak and hung it on the hook beside the door then made his way to the kitchen where he sat down with a bottle of butterbeer; his usual routine.

He was lost in thoughts of work and life when suddenly, hands over his eyes made him jump.

"Did I scare you?" asked the owner of the soft hands.

"Not at all" he answered, turning to capture the lips of the person behind him.

"You look tired" she said to him, when he released her from the embrace.

"Its been a long day" he said tiredly.

"Come, I'll run you a bath" she said.

Draco stared after the woman in his life as she headed to the bathroom and wondered in awe how he managed to become so lucky. They had been through so much and still, the love they felt for one another was as strong as it ever way.

He stopped at the hall cabinet and looked at the items which decorated their home. The photos of their life together, souveiners of their travels, pictures of their two children, Scorpius and Isabella who were due to start Hogwarts in the Autumn, and the last one, the most important one, the one he would never take away no matter what; The empty vial that once contained the Draught of Living Death.

"Draco, are you coming?" she called.

"I'll be right there, Josie" he answered.

* * *

_**Authors Note: Thank you thank you thank you all so much for sticking with this through its two whole stories. Whether you started at the beginning with Lily or if you jumped in with Harry starting Hogwarts, thank you so much so taking this journey with me. **_

_**I said in chapter 25 that i would conclude in the next 10 or so chapters and i have done it in three so go me! I hope i have made everyone laugh and cry throughout this. I hoe you all liked the ending but PLEASE do not give it away in the comments. Let others have a chance to be stunned. **_

_**I might return at some point to write a follow up, basically an overview of where everybody in the story ended up, but right now I'm happy with how it ended. **_

_**I have an idea for another fic which I've actually had for over a year now and I'm contemplating starting it. If you're keen, follow my page and stay updated with what i'm working on. You wont regret it. **_


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